When I was growing up in the 70s, there was a daily cartoon titled Love Is.  Each little vignette featured a black and white drawing of two child-like figures, male and female, who for some reason, were always naked.  Rounding out this pen and ink cuteness was a quotation, oozing sentiment.  Love is…’living for each other’.  Love is…’being able to say you’re sorry’ **.   As a young girl, I thought they were the best thing ever.

This morning, I skidded across the kitchen floor in my socks through some Wheatabix that someone forgot to tell me they spilled.  I bit my tongue before I could threaten to withhold Christmas presents and I had one of those “Eureka!” moments.  This, I realized, this is what love is.

Love is…sitting through Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakuel 35 times and laughing when your children expect you to laugh;

Love is…tucking…