Sunday, January 12, 2014

What is Love? Dangling devotion or just changing diapers

I saw this picture years ago. I downloaded it then and have kept it ever since. I must say at the onset that I am sure it belongs to someone. Sorry for stealing it and posting it again for the world to see... again. Thanks to the photographer that chose to share it in the first place. I give you all the credit. I just wish I knew your name. What a once in a lifetime picture.

Two things fascinate me about this picture.

1) All of the planets must have been in alignment to capture such an amazing event (except for Pluto since it isn't a planet anymore... bummer deal).

2) One can find a lot of symbolism about love from gazing at this picture.

That is what I want to write about: Love.

There is much love in the world, you can see it all around. This photo illustrates it so beautifully. For some time I have felt that I needed to contribute to what is known as the Web 2.0. When the Internet first came to be it was one-directional. We went out there, found what we were looking for (and a lot of things we weren't looking for), downloaded some content and that was that.

Years ago the Internet started to change and became multi-directional where we could not only find and download but also contribute online. Ever since I have been wanting to contribute.

The world is full of love and this is my attempt to expose it.

Back to the photo. To what length will we go to share our love with others? I wish I could say I have risked life and limb dangling from the grasp of an old college roommate to demonstrate my love and devotion to my significant other in the form of a simple picked flower. I haven't done that... yet.

What I have done; however, is spent the last 10 years changing every dirty diaper I could get my hands on for my wife.

Megan and I are in our mid-thirties and the proud parents of 5 kids! At some point early in our marriage a thought was introduced to me that when we started having kids I should change every diaper so long as I was there when the dirty thing was discovered. I wish I could remember the moment I had that epiphany or who shared the idea with me but I don't. What I can say is that although I have not done something quite as spectacular as what you see in nature from this photo, I have changed 3,789 diapers from my estimates. I haven't dangled to show my devotion and love but I have never let my wife change a diaper so long as I was there.

My wife has expressed her appreciation for my efforts and it makes me feel good to try. Nothing says adoration like trying to change ever dirty diaper. I love my wife and it's the least I can do.

What is love? A dad changing diapers.




6 comments:

  1. Changing diapers is definitely showing love to me!! You also show love in so many other ways: giving our children & me your time & attention. Supporting me in all the things I try, and want, to do to better myself, our family & home. Watching Chick flics with me. Working hard everyday to support our family. Flowers a.k.a. McDonald's French fries!! These are just a few ways that you express your love for me that I am grateful for. Thank you. I love you!

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    1. I especially like that you prefer french fries over flowers, maybe Jerrod can figure out a way to "dangle" from the roof to present you a fry !!!

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  2. Thanks for the comment Megan. I am grateful for all you do for me and our family. Just to make perfectly clear. I only watch chick flics because I love my wife. I in know way like chick flics. Not even a little bit. Just because I happen to know that Mr. Darcy is incandescently in love and that ironically is the very reason why he struggles to say I love you at the end of the new version of Pride and Prejudice or just because my all time favorite part of Sense and Sensibility is Mr. Farrer declaring his love for Ms. Dashwood at the end of the movie doesn't say anything about me.

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  3. As a former college roommate, I would have had your back, for sure, but there was the simple matter of size differential between us at that time. Between the fragility of the twig, and my super muscular build (in 1997), we would have both been gonners, had we put idea into practice here.....Sorry, man! :)

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  4. Wes makes a good point. Neither one of us were the burly men we are today back in our undergraduate days. Ah well. We can at least enjoy the photo.

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  5. Both Megan and Mom have eluded to an upcoming post... What is Love? A bouquet of flowers from McDonalds

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