The Gift of Love
The Power of Love In Helping Us To Improve Our Lives
These poems are about the power of love in changing our lives for the better by encouraging us to follow our hearts and dreams in guiding us to find our unique destiny. Love also enables us to reach our full human potential by cultivating compassion for all the living beings on our great planet thus expanding our consciousness and appreciating the true miracle that all life is.
The Dawn of A New Day
Today I Say A Prayer For The Gift of Love
Today, I see a lovely flower
and look at it as if for the first time.
I see how beautiful my child is
and thank God for the most precious gift
which he has given me.
I look at her soft, radiant eyes and
her sweet little face;
I feel her little body wrapped in my arms...
so grateful to have her to love and to hold.
Let me realize just how valuable is today...
to explore my talents,
no matter how they may be judged;
free me from restraint to tell those that I love,
to fully experience the breadth
of my humanity...
not to cower in a corner-
always afraid to reach out
or speak what I believe to be true.
Awaken my spirituality,
let me experience what it is like
to stand on a mountain top-
filled with a moment of eternity,
to feel part of what was before...
now... and will be.
Let something of me remain after I'm gone-
to reveal that I lived and had something to say.
Give me insight to see before I act
so as not to cause another pain or injury.
Let me have empathy for all sentient beings...
to realize there's a sanctity about all life,
and let not money or power corrupt my soul...
help me today to stop excusing my limitations
by accepting the challenge to
change and become a better person.
-Lora Hollings
"I Choose Love" ~ Shawn Gallaway
This is a video which shows how we can choose to live our lives with love and create a more peaceful world uniting us all as one people who can tackle important challenges of the future such as climate change, saving our wildlife, and our planet. We have the choice to create a brighter tomorrow for our children and future generations- a world where there's no place for hatred or violence toward any living being. A world where we all learn to respect each other for the special gifts that we have and where all people have a chance to contribute these gifts and lead rewarding lives.
To Feel The Miracle of Love
Surely This Must Be Heaven
Surely this must be heaven...
when I can look up into the treetops
and see the light rays streaming
through gently swaying leaves.
Surely this must be heaven...
when you hold me in your arms
with such tenderness,
and I hear the beating of your heart
so close to mine.
Surely this must be heaven...
when my little dog
with his calming presence
helps to relieve the burden of my worries
and loves me so devotedly.
Surely this must be heaven,
when I feel my child
in the grasp of an embrace...
and I thank God
for the precious gift of life-
to feel the miracle of love.
~Lora Hollings
Let's be Friends - Dolphin and Dog Become True Friends
Animals also show an amazing capacity to form deep bonds of affection with each other even with members from another species enriching their lives as well.
We see in this video of a true friendship between a dolphin and a dog that these animals' affection for each other not only parallels our own but that they have the capacity for empathy or the ability to understand and share the feelings of others too. Thus we cannot limit the capacity to feel love only to human beings.
Cute Cat Befriends Dolphins - We Don't Have To Be Alike to Be Friends
Cat befriends dolphins in this charming video which shows that animals, once again, can develop bonds of friendship with each other even crossing the boundaries between species. Maybe animals can teach us to be more tolerant of our differences, and instead connect with others on a deeper, more spiritual level.
Live your Life With Love and Treasure the Beauty of the Moment
Quotes About Life and Love
"The love we give away is the only love we keep."
-Elbert Hubbard
"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."
-Siddhartha Buddha
Love does not dominate. It cultivates.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes
"Compassion is the chief law of human existence."
-Fyodor Dostoevsky
"Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching."-Randall G. Leighton
"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."
-Ashley Smith
"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."
-James Dean
"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."
-Flora Whittemore
"I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works."
-Oscar Wilde
"Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live."
-Maria Robinson
Looking back, I have this to regret: that too often when I loved, I did not say so.
-David Grayson
Love does not dominate. It cultivates.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Love does not die easily. It is a living thing. It thrives in the face of all life's hazards, save one: neglect.
-James Bryden
Questions & Answers
© 2019 Lora Hollings
Related
Comments
Wow this is so powerfully positive...this poetry and prayer...it is a powerfull praise and song unto GOD...more of us should be so grateful...nice
- AUTHOR
Layne, thanks much for dropping by and I'm so complimented that you love my poems. Yes, humans can learn from other species that we can be different but still be friends! Love has no boundaries, how true. Your comment is appreciated. Have a great weekend, my friend!
Hi Lora, always love your poems. How timely to write a poem of love for February. I love that you show unusual animal friends. Humans can learn from other species . . . that love has no boundaries.
- AUTHOR
Brenda, thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment. I'm complimented that you liked my poetry and enjoyed the videos! It is amazing how animals that you wouldn't expect to form friendships do. And they look forward to seeing each other again. Yes, Zeus and the dolphin are amazing together but so is the cat making friends with the two dolphins. Have a great day!
Lora,
Your poetry is quite refreshing.
It reminds me to not take things for granted and reach out to love everything and everyone.
This quote is my favorite: "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching."-Randall G. Leighton
All your videos were great.
I especially loved the one with the dog and the dolphin. The one with the kitty tugged at my heart too.
Great write.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Denise for reading my article and commenting. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the poems and videos. Dolphins are truly extraordinary! I love them too.
The dolphins are very loving creatures. It is remarkable. I love the child's hug best.
Blessings,
Denise
- AUTHOR
So happy that you found my writings uplifting and that my article made you smile, Alyssa. Thanks much my friend for your gracious comment.
What uplifting pieces, Lora! This article made me smile. Thank you my friend!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Nithya, for visiting and I'm honored by your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed my article. Bless you!
Beautifully expressed poems loved them all. Great quotes and videos. I enjoyed reading.
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- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading, Liz and your comment is appreciated. I'm complimented that you enjoyed the poetry and the other features of my article. Have a wonderful weekend!
Great poetry in an article filled with variety.
- AUTHOR
Mary, I'm so glad to hear that you are now a confident person and that you feel good about yourself due to the love that you received and gave to others. Love can enable us to do so many things that we may never have learned to do. It truly works magic in our lives. I appreciate your wonderful and insightful comment. Bless you!
- AUTHOR
Thank you for your visit and lovely comment, Ms Dora. I really enjoyed writing these poems. There is so much to be grateful for! Many blessings to you.
Such purity, beauty and gratitude in the poems. Great quotes too. Thanks for the lovely presentation.
I visited a friend two weeks ago and saw our old pictures. I saw how I was in all of them. I looked as if was hiding who I am. They all told me then to stand up straight but I just was not able then. Years of being loved and learning to love strengthened me. Now nobody tells me to stand straight as I move with grace and confidence. It took years but it happened.
- AUTHOR
My dear friend thank for your gracious words which add much beauty and sunshine to my day. Your words resonate with love and kindness. With much gratitude, Manatita, for your visit and your gracious comment. Many blessings to you!
My Sweet, sweeter … sweetest friend, there's so much beauty here … in the silent music of your words … in the soul-stirring piece of your video and in the energy you convey … in Silence. Bless you!! Om Shanti!!
- AUTHOR
Yes, he is cute but he isn't a young pup any more! Ernie was adopted when he was 16 weeks old and now he's almost 16 years old but very spry, still loves to go for walks, and chase the cats now and then! Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment, Flourish. Best Wishes!
- AUTHOR
Jason, thanks for reading and I appreciate your gracious comment. I'm happy to hear that you found the poems to be inspiring and liked the quotes as well. Have a great weekend!
- AUTHOR
And thank goodness that you were adopted by these two loving people who shared that love with you! They did an awesome job in raising you to be a wise person who teaches others profound insights through your writing. I hope that many other children will also be adopted by loving parents and be given the gift of love. Thanks for reading, Bill, and your comment is appreciated.
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- AUTHOR
Thanks Layne for the read and I’m happy that you found the poems meaningful and enjoyed the videos. Dogs have such an amazing ability to live in the present. They can be such good teachers in this respect! They can also teach us about loving unconditionally.
- AUTHOR
So true! Those who have others that love and care about them are among the most fortunate people. And if we all spent more time in improving our relationships with our children and significant others, I think we would all be happier. Thank you, Chitrangada, for reading and for your wonderful comment. Blessings to you.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading, Cattaleya. And I'm honored that you enjoyed my poetry and the quotes. You are so right! It is the little things that really add up to the big things that make such a difference in life. Sometimes, we delude ourselves into thinking that success and wealth are going to make us happy but then we discover that this just isn't so. It is often times, the things that we take for granted that mean the most. And many times, sadly, we may wake up too late. We need to appreciate the people, the animals in our lives, and the beauty of living life to its fullest right now. Have a great weekend!
- AUTHOR
Thank you Pamela for your visit. I'm very complimented by your generous comment. I couldn't agree more with you. Showing and expressing love is essential for the well-being of all of us, our emotional and physical health. Have a wonderful weekend!
This was a delightful treat on a busy Black Friday. Your poems expressed such caring sentiments and the videos were heartwarming. Cute pup you have!
- AUTHOR
Brenda, I appreciate you reading my article and leaving a comment. I'm delighted that you enjoyed my poems, the videos and the quotes. We can choose love and peace. It's up to us to decide what kind of a world we want to live in. Blessings to you.
Lora, I adored this collection of poems. Truly beautifully written. Nice pick on the quotes too. A very enjoyable uplifting read. Thanks.
- AUTHOR
Yes, we all need to put our differences aside and work together to really address the critical issues of our time. I agree with you, Lorna. We can create a more peaceful world where we respect each other or we can continue to have wars, be self-centered and ignore the most important issues that face us and where will that lead to? Thanks so much for reading and for your wonderful comment. Have a great day!
I especially love your inclusion of the the dolphin and dog friendship. Beautifully written poems that hold a lot of meaning.
I am alive today because two loving people decided to share their love with a blind orphan kid many years ago. I'm a believer in the power of love.
Beautifully expressed!
I loved your poems and the quotes. They are all my favourite ones and I often quote them in my posts.
I agree with you that love is basis of all relationships. Those who have it in their lives—for themselves and for others, are the richest people.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful hub.
Such beautiful words and imagery Lora. I loved reading your poems as well as the quotes. Haven't seen the videos yet, but I am bookmarking the page so I can return later.
You have expressed the presence of love in the little things so well.
Such inspiring words. I feel elevated after reading them. Very good job on this.
What a wonderful message in this article! The poetry was so sweet and beautiful and the quotes were excellent. Yesterday with some of my family I was thinking about how love is so important. Thank goodness we all get along and have a very good time together.
Love does not dominate. It cultivates. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I think this quote is so true. This is a wonderfully well-written article.
A wonderful collection of poems and quotes which remind me of the need to put our differences aside and embrace the fact that we are all equal. I was moved by the last verse of your first poem which is so inspirational. The quote which resonated with me and one which shows compassion for all things is "Compassion is the chief law of human existence. A very spiritual and moving experience Lora - beautiful.
I love this work you have created.
My favorite is "Surely this must be heaven" but they are all good.
I enjoyed the videos as well.
The quotes at the end are a nice touch.
Thanks for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for dropping by Rosina and I’m deeply complimented by your comment. It’s always good to hear when readers enjoy your work! Have a great weekend.
- AUTHOR
John, I’m just elated that you enjoyed my article so much and especially the poems. You made my Thanksgiving extra special! Thank you for reading and for your gracious comment. I can’t take credit for the painting done by Chris O’Malley. I love that song by Shawn Galloway too. We should all choose love! Have a wonderful weekend.
This is an excellent article, Lora rich with lovely poetry, images, videos, and quotes. I love all of it. It couldn't have been better. Thank you for your generous contribution.
Lora, this is a simply amazing hub. I am bookmarking it to refer to often, it is so inspiring and uplifting. Your poetry is brilliant and the videos touching. I had to share them all. I just love that song by Shawn Galloway, I Choose Love. Great work. If that painting of the mother and child was done by you .. I love it too.
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