I had no idea that I’d break into tears during this podcast, but I did. The topic is love, after all.  And my heart is broken BIG TIME.   I am reviewing these notes on the morning of surgery to fix a deviated septum from middle school when my nose was severely broken.  My mom had looked at me with my Marsha-Brady-episode-where-her-nose-blew-up-to-3x-times-the-size-and-black-and-blue-eyes (that rhymes) and said, “You’re fine.” So today, I don’t breathe as well as would be optimal. I believe this is part of my loss of health story.  I’m finally getting it fixed.   It has been a HORRIBLE road to get to this morning. I drive around the streets of Evanston, recognizing the places where I was there for my husband when he needed surgery. When I dropped my life to “serve” him.  Now that my “service” doesn’t “serve” him, where is he?    I’ve been a less-than-optimal-version-of-myself. I’m so sorry, to everyone, who has had to see any part of this journey. Per my ideas on apologies, I plan to make sure that I do better.  I’m on my way now to my dad’s house to give him a hug. I was not my best self when I saw him last.   My mom also has been offering help, and I hope to take her up on some help during my convalescence.    In today’s episode, I call on Shakira to help me, again. She has been one of my important spiritual guides in my life.  I LOVE SHAKIRA. (Me encanta!).Sometimes it can put your own problems in perspective when you hear about those of others. Shakira has been through an insane year.  My broken heart goes out to hers.   Let’s start with this song by Shakira, Monotonía  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5y6xLpRwx4 OMG that is me!  I put my heart on a sleeve, and it got stepped on big time. Thrown on the street, broken. I have felt empty and lying on the floor like Shakira is shown.     Then we go to Don’t You Worry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me19SUmWu2s   I know it’s possible to cry all day and night until you fall asleep sitting up, but eventually, it DOES stop.  Your dogs or cats might be soaking wet with your tears and really pent up with energy because you haven’t left the house (and are really worrying the neighbors with whatever can come through the walls), but it does eventually stop.  At least for that day.    Then you might find yourself crying the next day again, and it may also come in waves when you least expect it. But I have to say to myself, “everything’s gonna be okay.” Gracias Shakira.   Then we move to Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0   “When you fall get up, eh eh.”    And I will start to meet my OWN NEEDs.   After all, what we need or want from others, we must be able to give to ourselves. Connection with others plays a role in everyone's lives in different ways for different reasons. It is difficult to sustain connections with others when we struggle to connect and meet our needs within ourselves. So…   I will see myself I will hear myself I will understand myself I will fairly judge myself.   Maybe I need to take up dance lessons so that I can move like Shakira. RRRRR. And get back to my work at Nurture to help communities in need.   Mantras from the show:#1: Get to know love; we don’t understand it in our culture#2: Move past “conditional” vs. “unconditional” love and consider compassionate love.#3: Understand the many types of love the Greeks appreciated: Eros, Philia, Ludus, Agape, Pragma, Philatia. I realize that I hardly get into the types on my podcast, so just read about it here.Your homework, if you choose to accept:  go help someone in need!   If you are a woman, tune in to what might be happening to other women (or the feminine side of a man) today.    There seems to be strong energy around conflict and the change of an old model that involved subjugating women. (Yep, I just wrote that– ask me about the times I’ve seen gross men pat waitresses’ asses and be total assholes.  I’ve been on the wrong side of that equation, ME TOO).   See the parad