Thanks to St. Valentine’s support of couples in his spiritual practice and his closing words, “from your Valentine,” in his farewell letter to a befriended child, February brims with things loving and heart centered— including this month’s issue of Natural Awakenings.

In “Keeping a Warm Heart in a Cold World,” Jonathan Baxter explores the meaning and benefits of warmheartedness. Linda Sechrist’s feature article, “Rethinking Heart Health,” explores how caring for our emotional health heals and strengthens our heart. We even remember our family’s humblest hearts with Vivian Zottola’s pet piece, “Reducing Stress in Canine Friends.”

We expect so much from our own fist-sized organ. Beating about 100,000 times a day, 35 million times in a year and more than 2.5 billion times during an average lifetime, the heart is nothing short of a powerhouse miracle. Plus, it’s more than meets the eye.

There’s a reason that when we feel something deeply, we “feel it in our heart.” Our language reflects this in many ways, ranging from emotions of heartbreak to heartfelt joy.

When a beloved heart stops beating, the loss can feel bottomless. It’s also a poignant reminder of how precious our short time is here on Earth. Such reminders, while hard, thankfully have served to help me to more fully embrace life’s adventure, to love more deeply and to appreciate the wondrous beats of everyday life. What is life?

It’s about love

It’s about compassion

It’s about kindness and faith

It’s about patience

It’s about caring and sharing

It’s about forgiveness

You get what you give… so give good. ~ Anonymous

Rock on Valentines,

Maisie Raftery, Publisher