On Valentine’s Day I was honored to be the speaker at the Second Sunday Author Series at the Women’s Museum of California, co-sponsored by San Diego Writers,Ink. Thank you Judy Reeves for the invitation.
Since it was Valentine’s Day I shared how different kinds of love have influenced my writing and read some of my personal narratives, poems and scenes from The Black Velvet Coat as examples. I researched all types of love and everyone seemed to have their opinions including The Greeks, psychologists and religious leaders. None of those lists seemed to work for me so I came up with my own and here it is:
1. Friendship Love – These friendships need to be deep enough to have an emotional connection. Usually its with someone who has helped me grow such as a mentor a collaborator or even a partner in crime. Some of these writings have come out as gratitude pieces.
2. Family Love – Family love is the first kind of love I had and my memories go back very far. I’ve written personal narratives and poems about my grandmothers, my parents and siblings. Recently for my Uncle George’s 90th birthday I wrote a poem about our few, but memorable visits together throughout my lifetime. When my mother began to have dementia writing poems helped me deal with my feelings.
3. Pet Love – My dogs have touched my heart very intensely. They are my constant companions and keep me grounded. Lucy was manifested through writing The Black Velvet Coat and I believe we were destined to be together. She has been a major inspiration for my collages too.
4. Nature Love – My spirituality lies in the awe of nature. Flora, fauna, mountains, the ocean, seasons, weather and even fire have inspired me to write. Giant oaks and great blue herons have been the inspiration for many of my poems. In my novel, several nature related scenes were based on actual experiences I had had. These include sleeping under the stars, a deer sighting, coyotes howling outside a trailer and even a flash flood.
5. Romantic Love – My romantic love writings have been based on real and exaggerated encounters from my teen years right up to the present. Many times what comes out makes me laugh. In my novel, the hero character was based on my husband. While writing those scenes I asked myself what would Jerry say or do.
Mom and Me
What types of love inspire you?
I agree and liked your comments regarding 5 different loves. One thing is for sure the 5 categories may change for different people but everyone can be touched by Love.
Laura, Yes that’s part of the beauty of love. Everyone can have some.
Well said!!! The tree picture from the ranch is gorgeous – how can you not love nature with such beautiful things growing around us!! 🙂
Krystin, I’m glad you love nature too!
Beautiful Jill! Love all of them especially what you said about Nature Love!
Lisa, Yes. I’ve always been a nature girl. What about you?
Thanks for sharing, Jill! I love to think about love especially friendship love❤️
Lara, Arts goddaughter – I’d put our special relationship in the friendship love category.
All five of those Loves resonate with me as well. Although we no longer have pets, they were a part of our family and we still miss them to this day – fond memories take their place. Nature Love is a giant one for me and helps me stay grounded in this high-tech life we all live these days! Thanks for sharing, Jill.
Indy, You are right I rarely feel the love when I’m on the computer. That is unless I’m working on a romantic poem or scene.
These are love-ly Jill…xo
Linda, Thanks!
Such fun to read about love. What could be better.
Writing? Drawing?
Bringing love into our creative work is what you reminded
me to do.
Thanks Jill.
Rose, That’s great! I had considered having love of creativity as a category. What do you think?
I think my favorite might be “puppy love”
Katie, Why am I not surprised?
What a lovely piece Jill. Thank you!
xoxo
Delighted to be present for your talk at the Women’s Museum on the five kinds of love that inspire you, and glad you posted this version here so even more can be inspired by your inspirations. We all love you, Jill.
We all love you too, Judy!