Behind the Blog 38: Love is a Leap of Faith

Behind The Blog is a meme to help bloggers connect their life and interests to the content showcased on their blog. The co-hosts Faye Kathe and Melissa will provide a different topic, idea, or question every week that bloggers can relate to themselves and the books, films, or media they find interesting!

Falling in Love:

So Valentine's Day is just around the corner and so this week we would like to discuss Love. This is quite a big thing and it could be tackled from all sorts of standpoints. For this week, however, we would like to look at how falling in love has changed you or your life - or NOT falling in love, as the case may be! Are there any experiences that you'd be willing to share with us?

In relation to media, are they any books or films that you feel portray the way love can change a person specifically well? Or, what are you favourite valentine-y films?

Falling in love has definitely changed my life. A lot. 

I wouldn't say that I'm a difficult person to love, per se, but I can be a difficult person to get close to emotionally. I have very thick walls when it comes to love, because I don't want to get hurt. Ask my boyfriend, I'm sure he'd tell you, it wasn't easy to convince me that he really does love me. It took years for me to realize that my boyfriend wasn't going to up and leave me every time he was unhappy with something I said or did. After 7.5 years together, I'm pretty sure he isn't going anywhere.

So, in that way, I've grown stronger, knowing that he'll be there for me no matter what. I've learned just how nice it is to have someone who you know will be in your corner. Who still thinks you're beautiful even when you're bone tired,and dragging yourself in the door after a long day at work. Who'll take care of you when you're sick. Someone who supports your dreams and encourages you to go after them, and makes you want to be a better person. Someone who you can see yourself with years down the road. 

I'm lucky enough to have found that person in my boyfriend. I honestly never thought I would fall in love. 

Love has taught me to take more chances. I've made huge, life changing decisions that have been motivated by love. But it isn't these decisions that come after you've fallen in love that are the biggest risk. The biggest risk is admitting that you love someone in the first place.  Being able to say that you love someone is a huge leap of faith. It means letting someone in to your heart, and your life, and taking the chance that they are going to be there for you through it all. And as we all know, that doesn't always happen. 

So for the shy, quiet, girl who pretty much kept to herself, falling in love was a huge risk, and I'm glad to say that it's paid off. I don't much like the long distance relationship aspect of things, but that will change eventually, and it will all be worth it in the end.

Books and Media:

I can't think of any valentine-y films in particular, having to do with the actual holiday, but there are always great romance/falling in love flicks that could substitiute for movies that are actually about valentine's day itself. What about these great classics?:

The Notebook

Ghost

Dirty Dancing

Pretty in Pink

What do you all think?k What are some good books or movies about love or falling in love?

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Behind the Blog 32: A Day at the Movies

Behind The Blog is a meme to help bloggers connect their life and interests to the content showcased on their blog. The co-hosts Faye Kathe and Melissa will provide a different topic, idea, or question every week that bloggers can relate to themselves and the books, films, or media they find interesting!

Holiday Traditions

Holiday traditions are wonderful. They are unique from family to family and they can build some of the happiest memories of one’s life. What are some of your favorite Christmas/holiday traditions? Or, what are traditions that you hope to start in the future?

In relation to books: Are there any books or movies that you absolutely must see or re-read during the holiday season? Are there any books or movies that you’ve seen/read that have some unique or unusual traditions?

When I was younger, one tradition that I really enjoyed was going to the movies on holidays. I don't remember when we started going, but we used to go on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some days the theater was really packed, other times, it was completely empty. The only movie that I actually remember seeing on a holiday is The World is Not Enough.

Another tradition that we have is that on Christmas Eve, we open one present. Usually, it's new PJ's. No matter how many pairs I have, I always love getting new pajamas.

I haven't thought about it too much, but I do know that I want to start Christmas traditions in the future. I'm not sure what kind of traditions, but I know that I want to start some, because I like the familiarity of them. I like the comfort of knowing that it'll be something that gets done and looking forward to it, because traditions bring a lot of joy and comfort. One thing that I always do already, though this doesn't really count as a tradition is I always write Christmas cards. In the age of technology the written holiday card or holiday newsletter is like a dying art. So that's something that I always want to do because writing them gives me as much joy as receiving them.

Books and Movies:

The only book that I can think of of the top of my head that has a Christmas tradition in it would be Harry Potter and the Christmas sweaters made by Mrs. Weasley. Getting handmade things is always wonderful, because you know that person put their time, love and care into making it.

I don't really have any books that I have to re-read during the holidays, but if I can catch it, I always like to watch It's a Wonderful Life. The first time my dad tried to get me to watch it I remember whining that I didn't want to because it's in black and white. I can't believe I ever protested, because I really love it now.

We'd love to have you join us for Behind the Blog!

If you're choosing to join us for Behind the Blog don't forget to link up your post by using the Linky list below!
Are you joining us? Here are our rules:

• The hosts' Behind the Blog posts go live at midnight on Friday, GMT+0:00. Feel free to post before that, just link up on Friday! 
• Feel free to make use of the button shown above, or if it clashes with your blog colours e-mail us or make your own.
• Read, write, and connect! The Linky is there for you. Make use of it!
• Last but not least, have fun!