{Be Confident} Boys, Balloons + Learning the Affects of LOVE

It’s that time of the year where I walk to chocolate aisle of Target, challenging myself in the art of discipline.  My favorite romantic chick flicks randomly appear in my DVD player, and I may or may not have handcrafted some fifty glitter covered, paper heart decorated handmade valentines…. just because.

Call me a hopeless romantic, but I just love love.

With Valentines Day being this weekend, I couldn’t help but think of a few memories when love was the reason I did something.  I laugh as I type this because in most of them, love motivated me to do some whimsical and seemingly crazy things….

Like that one time I covered an entire parking lot in balloons.

Not so long ago I found myself swept up in a current of adrenaline laced emotion and I was absolutely smitten.

Yep, I was smitten by a boy.

The boy in the picture just so happened to be having a birthday and I wanted nothing more than to make his day.   A friend and I had concocted an idea to buy 25 balloons and cover my crush’s car with them.

What guy wouldn’t love to have his car covered in colored helium filled latex?!

My thoughts exactly.

The day passed slower than I had ever thought possible.  I had agreed to meet my friend at the local party store so we could buy the balloons together, then sneak over to my crushes apartment where his car would be waiting for us.

It was going to be a total surprise.

I spent the whole day picturing how it would all play out.

We’d cover his car in balloons and then wait in the bushes for him to appear.  Grinning and totally surprised, he’d invite his buddies to come outside and see the spectacle that was his car.  Then, smiling and radiant, I’d appear out of the bushes in slow motion – wearing something super cute.  He’d embrace me, twirl me around happily and most likely propose marriage.

It was going to be perfect.

The end of the day finally came.  We bought the balloons and sped over to my crushes’ apartment.

But when we got there, his car was no where in sight.

So….We drove around the apartment complex once.

Maybe we missed his car the first time.

Then twice.

Maybe he’s at a friends place.

Three times.

Maybe he had to run an errand, and he’s on his way back…

TEN times later, and my friend suggested we head home.

But I wouldn’t dare.

“No,” I replied firmly, “We’ve gotta make his birthday the BEST one yet.”

We waited outside of his apartment for a few moments when the idea suddenly came to me.

“He has to come home eventually, right?” I sounded super stalkerish, and -yes- totally crazy.  “Let’s tie balloons to each car surrounding his apartment building! It’ll be the best birthday homecoming EVER!”

I swear my friend almost admitted me to a psycho ward at that point.

But, like good friends do, she helped me tie 25 balloons on to 25 different cars and we marveled at our masterpiece.

“It’s actually kinda pretty,” she admitted.

I was beaming, “Its PERFECT!”

We watched as people entering and exiting the apartment building delighted in the splash of color that dotted the parking lot.  We giggled and grinned when smiles appeared on their faces and they looked over the spectacle, no doubt wondering: who did all of this.

By that point I had almost forgotten that the act was for my crush.  I was too mesmerized by the look of glee filled wonder on each stranger’s face.

To this day, I don’t even think my crush ever knew those balloons were for him.

And I’m totally okay with it.

Love does that.  When we genuinely love people it doesn’t just affect one person, if effects many people.

When we love, we can’t sit still.  We can’t just let love infect us, we have to do something about it!  It moves us to action.  We don’t worry about the end result, or wonder what may come of what we do, we simply do.

Though there are many types of love and the english language (sadly) only has one word to encompass all of them, the root of love is the same.  Whether romantic, emotional, brotherly, or otherwise: Love does things.

I think that’s why Jesus called us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  When we do that – we love people how we want to be loved.  We cover parking lots with multi colored balloons intending to convey love to one person, but resulting in the action of having loved many people!

Jesus didn’t call us to like our neighbor as ourselves and I’m so thankful for that!  Honestly– It is hard to like certain people.  Liking things is a matter of opinion, but loving things is a matter of movement!

How are you moving around the people in your life?  Are you rushing by them?  Or are you pausing to acknowledge their importance?  Are you keeping your distance, afraid to get to close?  Or are you closing the gap because you realize that’s what Jesus would do?

Keep loving.  Keep moving.  Keep doing.

Be love to people.

Because Christ himself is love– and you have the chance to reflect Him in all that you do.

And don’t forget to hashtag #DelightAndBeLove — show us how you’re LOVING!

xo

AnnaFilly

PS.  Cover parking lots in balloons if you have to- just join in the fun.  Loving others is worth it.