Love Truths

Monday, June 15, 2009

21 No-Cost (or Extremely Low-Cost) Ways to Remind Your Special Other of How Much You Love Them


It's so easy, as we race through each day trying to accomplish an impossible number of tasks, to forget about those we love. Soon, and often unintentionally, one partner, or both, are left feeling unappreciated, overlooked and in need of some serious "TLC."

Logically, we all know that a relationship must receive attention if it is to grow. Realistically, few of us take the time to fan the relationship flames as often as we should. But help is on the way.

Showing your special someone how much you love them doesn't have to take a lot of time or cost a lot of money. In fact, it's better if it doesn't -- it's the little things that we remember most. So don't wait until next Valentine's Day to show your significant other that you love and appreciate them. Try to incorporate at least one of these romantic ideas into your partner's day, everyday (and when you've done them all, keep going by creating your own, or repeat the cycle!)


1) Cook them their favorite meal. Have it ready to go when they walk in the door, complete with candles.

2) Leave a note for your special other (or tuck one into a lunch/briefcase) telling them how much you care.


3) Try your hand at a love poem that includes special memories only the two of you share. Leave it somewhere unexpected.

4) Make your partner a CD of "your" songs. Have it playing when they come home.


5) If married, have your wedding vows framed and give it to your spouse "just because."

6) On a cold day, warm up their car for them.


7) Volunteer to do their share of the housework so they can relax.

8) Let them sleep in.


9) Pamper your significant other by running a bath for them. Include bath salts, candles, and soft music, then wash their hair

10) Give your partner a massage (before they ask for it).


11) Bring them lunch at work.

12) Stop to say hello, kiss and hug every time you come in the front door.


13) Pack a lunch and take your special someone on a surprise picnic or walk in the woods. Or, pack a desert and go stargazing.

14) Flirt with them.


15)Hold his or her hand.

16) Bring them a blanket or sweater if they look cold.


17) Tell them you love and appreciate them, don't just assume they know.

18) Create your own holiday, then surprise your significant other with a celebration. This could be: "Happy 18 days since your last cigarette," a 2.5-year anniversary, or "I Love You More Than Ever Day."


19) Leave a flower and a note on the windshield of their car.

20) Cuddle for at least five minutes in the morning before getting out of bed.


21) Purchase them a small, but meaningful, gift such as their favorite gourmet coffee, a pair of warm socks because their feet are always cold, a book on tape for them to listen to while stuck in traffic, etc.

These little occasional gestures mean so much and are great memories waiting to be made.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Venus Flower Basket

One of the most beautiful of all the creatures that live in the oceans is the rare and very seldom seen Venus flower basket. It only grows on the ocean floor at depths of three thousand to five thousand feet, in the warm tropical waters of the South Pacific, mostly around the Philippines and Japan.

This creature is actually a sponge; however it does not look anything like the sponges you use for cleaning in your home. It is extremely beautiful, intricate, and dainty. When full grown the Venus flower basket is tube shaped and about twelve inches long, usually with some slight curvature.

It looks like it is made up of an intricate fine lace expertly spun in glass fibers no thicker than human hair. It is woven in the form of a hollow tube shaped like a rams horn. The smaller, tapered end is anchored to the ocean floor by a multitude of fine glass-like fibers. The larger end has a lacey looking cap over it.

Because it looks like it is woven from glass it is sometimes called a glass sponge. Its scientific name is Euplectella Aspergillum.

When the Venus flower basket is small
, tiny shrimp swim in and out of it. However, as the Venus Flower Basket grows it seals off the open upper end, and at the same time the shrimps grow so that they cannot swim through the side of the Venus flower basket. As this happens, a pair of shrimps, one male and one female, will stay inside the Venus flower basket and become trapped there. This pair of shrimps will spend the rest of their lives inside that Venus flower basket.

To the Japanese this is a symbol of eternal love and being happily married forever. A Venus flower basket is sometimes given as a wedding present in Japan because of this beautiful symbolism.

Huge Venus Flower Basket Euplectella Aspergillum


There is no such thing as divorce for these shrimp couples.
With divorce gaining epidemic portions in some countries, can we learn a lesson from these shrimp? God, the creator of all of us as well as these little shrimps, did not intend, nor does he want, marriages to end in divorce.

If these shrimps have a problem, somehow they work it out. They share their living space, food, and everything else with each other. Likewise we need to learn to work out the problems in our marriage and make them work. Learning how to share better and more often is a good start.

Spencer W. Kimball, one of the great religious leaders of our time, said that all divorce is the result of selfishness by one or both marriage partners. Shouldn’t we start being less selfish and start serving more in our marriage and family? As we serve and unselfishly give within our homes, our love for our spouse and children will increase, team cooperation will increase, and problems will start being solved in a spirit of love and mutual trust

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