Love encompasses all that we believe we require to fortify a marriage. Love acts as the catalyst, the origin, the culmination, the framework, and the guiding principle of a marriage. Given this, how can we assert that love falls short?

In the absence of love, we are left with only self-serving ambitions and a craving for personal gratification. Love embodies sacrifice, patience, endurance, forgiveness, understanding, and all the other attributes essential for a lasting marriage.

Our misunderstanding might stem from how we define love. It’s conceivable that we’ve devalued the concept of love due to its misuse and misinterpretation. In actuality, love is encompassing and far-reaching, not something trivial. The well-known song “All You Need Is Love” captures a fundamental truth: love truly is all you need!

So, what does love entail? I prefer to define love from a potent yet simple perspective, one found in arguably the oldest written text, the Bible. In three straightforward words, the Bible encapsulates the essence of love: “God is Love.”

This phrase implies that God embodies all the attributes of love. These attributes are succinctly described in 1 Corinthians 13, verses 4 to 8. Moreover, as beings created in the image of God, we too possess the capacity to display these qualities.

Hence, it’s not a stretch to assert that you, embodying love, are all that’s necessary to cultivate a thriving marriage. By “you,” I refer to two individuals who come together in harmony, as two cannot work cohesively unless they’re in accord.

Yet, as potent as love is, it remains inert without an object for its expression. We humans lend strength to love, making it dynamic and substantial. This object of expression is none other than your spouse. After all, how else can love validate itself if not by reaching a recipient? I often assert that love is an action, consistently proving its authenticity through the manner in which it’s conveyed to the recipient – in this case, your partner. Marriage necessitates two individuals who are genuinely “in love.”

Maintaining this love involves consistently expressing your affection to your partner. And how is this achieved? Let’s refer back to 1 Corinthians 13, wherein the characteristics of love are outlined. Demonstrating patience, kindness, avoiding envy, refraining from boasting, and shunning pride, all contribute to the ongoing demonstration of love.

Continual expressions of love involve showing respect, avoiding self-centeredness, managing anger, releasing grudges, celebrating achievements, safeguarding secrets, fostering trust, nurturing hope, persevering, and above all, never ending love.

While I’ll delve into each of these characteristics in subsequent posts, for now, let’s touch upon the final point: love never ends. Failure has no place in love’s realm. If you feel you’ve faltered, remember that perseverance entails ongoing effort. Never relinquish this mindset. Successful marriages endure because their participants perceive setbacks as opportunities for growth, improvement, and reinforcement. This is the essence of love – enduring through challenges.

Thus, when two people claim to have fallen out of love, it signifies a failure to express these qualities toward one another. Love itself isn’t at fault; it is more than sufficient. The real challenge lies with the individuals involved, as it takes both to fulfill these attributes and this is the intricate aspect of it all.

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Take the recent Netflix Series Bridgerton for example, it is the very picture of what we imagine true love to look like. A true period love story, but one with a modern twist. Watching the series, even the most hardened heart will be moved by the on-screen romance of the main characters.

Personally, I find not just the love story but everything about the production simply perfection. To see the diversity in cast and how people of color are represented in the story is just a delightful and rare sight to behold, particularly in such a genre. Also, the series as many critics have pointed out is so timely! It is certainly a love story that fits in with the times we are in. A time where representation matters more than ever!

Bridgerton was a breath of fresh air. It is most definitely a binge-worthy series for hopeful or hopeless romantics. There are so many things I adore about the series, but I will divulge a few things I find noteworthy.

The language is so rich, I find myself looking up so many words—promenade monotonous, soiree, etc. Watching period movies or series is assuredly a fun way of expanding one’s vocabulary.

One of the younger sisters of Daphne, the female lead is my favorite character. Eloise is an independent free-spirited non-conformist who wants to carve a different path for herself, rather than settle for the life predestined for a “proper” woman, which is to get married and make babies. She wants to instead, “nurture her mind”. She is what one might call a feminist.

One reoccurring question throughout the series was “who is Lady Whistledown?” Or the scribbler as she is disparagingly referred to in the series. The writer(s) were exceptionally good at hiding her identity. No one would have expected it to be her of all people (I do not want to give spoilers).

I love how Daphne’s mother steps up to the eldest brother Anthony Bridgerton and takes responsibility for helping her daughter to find love and happiness. Although it was considered the eldest brother’s duty to help her find a husband. I did not like his character very much. But I did feel sorry for him for not being able to marry the woman he loves because of societal expectations.

The chemistry between the lead characters was palpable. I loved them together and the intimate scenes were steamy. The main actor who played the Duke of Hastings is most certainly a very attractive young man. I knew I had seen him on screen before but could not place my finger on where, until I saw his Instagram page. He is the actor in the remake of Roots, another remarkable series, I highly recommend. His Instagram followers by the way have dramatically increased since Bridgerton was released and unsurprisingly so. It was my first time seeing the female lead. Although she has featured in other TV series as well.

The cinematography is stunning and the acting superb. The cast as previously mentioned is very diverse, there is a certain beauty in diversity. I was elated but unsurprised to discover the series was produced by Shonda Rhimes. The excellence of the series speaks of her brilliancy as a TV producer.

And last but not the least, I absolutely love the Queen’s elaborate hairstyles.

These are some of my favorite things about the series. Like most audiences, I am looking forward to a Season 2.

The post My Few Favorite Things About the Most Acclaimed Netflix Series—Bridgerton appeared first on Rachael Sade's Blog.

The past year brought about the loss of many things, money, jobs, properties, relationships, and sanity, to name a few. But surely the most important loss is that of lives, it is irreplaceable. We are not over the storms yet, but we are weathering it, albeit ruggedly. This is a testament to our tenacity. If nothing else was accomplished, it is noteworthy. We made it out of that dreadful year called 2020.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in the early months of 2020, we knew we somehow needed to survive this strange phenomenon that has not occurred in recent human history. And we have found a way to keep body and soul together even in these savage circumstances.

During the lockdown in the earlier stages of the pandemic, I heard so many motivational speeches. They were mainly about making use of the extra time to do things we have previously procrastinated. Although these talks were stirring, never have I felt less motivated.

My life has been characterized by doing the things I wanted to do. Time has never been a hindrance to pursuing my other interests. In fact, I work well under pressure. I found that having so much time on my hand left me in want of what to do with it.

People were dying. The news was primarily about how the virus was killing people in droves. And as much as I prayed and hoped that the fate that had befallen those who died will escape me, I truly pondered what life was all about. Seeing how easy it is for mankind to perish, I realize we humans control very little. These were individuals who had dreams and goals, but just like that, were snuffed out.

Some of us spend so much time running after our dreams, trying to be somebody, or trying to make a change in the world, but we do not control life or death. Life is full of so many unexpected twists and turns. If we think about it, king Solomon was perhaps right in his assessment that all of life is indeed meaningless. In the book of Ecclesiastes 1 verse 3, King Solomon asked, “What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?”. A good question to ponder.

But even if all of life is vanity, it is still our lot as humans to live life. So while we do that, we must find something worthwhile to fill our days. We cannot merely exist. We must dedicate our existence to meaningful pursuits. The one thing we have control over is how we choose to spend our life.

With this thought in mind, I decided it was okay to unwind. Our world is full of work, rarely does the universe presents one with the opportunity to rest. And so, I rested, traveled twice, engaged in leisure activities, and spent quality time with my loved one. But this indolence could only last for a while. Because for as long as life exists, there will always be the pursuit of goals and dreams. It is our destiny as humans to pursue those things we believe bring us happiness and fulfillment.

Many of us have had the chance to relax and unwind this past year. But it is now time to go back to the grind. 2021 is indeed another opportunity to pursue living life to the fullest. Whatever that means to you personally, I encourage you to do so. I wish you luck in your 2021 endeavors and above all a good health and a sound mind.

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Like it did for most people, the new year began on a hopeful note. I was thrilled to discover what lies ahead in the uncharted months of 2020. I made plans and resolutions, changed my wardrobe, re-registered for gym, I was ready for the new year or so I thought. For me the arctic descent began with the announcement of the “Trump Nigerian ban”, an inconceivable threat to my perfectly laid out plans, and the first sign that the year was going to be a bitter melon.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Covid-19 pandemic pounced on the world and disproportionately on New York, my city of residence, leaving behind a death toll in the United States higher than that of the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War combined. Right before my very eyes, the ever bustling New York city became a ghost town devoid of it’s usual boisterousness. And just when we thought we were finally overcoming this pandemic, the racism pandemic strikes! A white cop murdered an unarmed black man, viciously cutting off his breath in a knee strangulation, bringing about an unrest in the entire already unsettled world.

In a matter of days, thousands flood to the previously empty streets in protest. Some peaceful, some violent, but all disavowing the injustice that has permeated our society for so long. The protest a sort of silver lining in the midst of a dark cloud, but one that calls for caution, as the virus still looms over us.

In other news, there’s new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The very last thing the world needs right now. Oh what a year!

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