Isn't that a wonderful thought?

Someone asked me the other day, what is perfect love? I've been thinking about an answer. And I guess it's whatever the lover wants to call perfect. What the beholder sees as perfect, or reasonably so. I guess I feel that what I had with Jeanne is about as perfect as I'm going to get it. I feel Jeanne made my life worthwhile. If I die tomorrow, I will have felt that I lived and loved. Jeanne made me feel good. And fulfilled. And I think I did the same for Jeanne. We were loyal and faithful and loving to each other. And the love was nurtured from Day One. It grew stronger and stronger. And I suspect that if Jeanne had lived longer, it would have become even stronger. So maybe in that sense, we had not yet reached perfection. If we had lived for 1,000 years together, it might still be getting better. But I'd say that in this lifetime, it got as good as it could get in our limited time on Earth. Jeanne was my one and only love up to the day she died. That doesn't mean I won't fall in love again. I already have. Now, the important thing is to nurture that love. Make it stronger and stronger. Doesn't mean that I'll be loving Jeanne any less. Jeanne's spirit will always reside in me. Will always be with me. I think Jeanne is guiding me through the rest of my life on Earth. Jeanne is encouraging me to be exactly what I am. A lover. I'll never stop loving Jeanne. But hey, I can still love another, in a manner very similar to the way I loved Jeanne. Unconditionally. Yes, one starts with being able to love one other. That's followed by a second, if I'm lucky. And if I loved forever, maybe I could find a way to love all of humanity. I suspect that is what god achieved. And that's why he created us and gave us the ability to love one. And maybe two. And three. And ultimately, just like god, all of creation. Isn't that a wonderful thought? --Jim Broede