I Believe in Love

I believe it, nobody sold me
Always knew it, nobody told me
I believe in someone to hold me
I believe in love

I've been thinking about love songs a lot lately.

There's something about a hopeful love song that gets me every time. Lyrics like "Love Will Find a Way," "Love Is in the Air," or "Can't Help Falling in Love" have a way of reminding me that no matter what's happening in the world, love is still worth believing in.

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a Yacht Rock station when Kenny Loggins' I Believe in Love came on. I hadn't heard it in years, but within the first few notes I remembered exactly why I loved it. It felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Isn't it funny how songs can do that?

Released on Celebrate Me Home in 1977, and written by Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman, and Kenny Loggins, the song is beautifully simple. It isn't trying to convince anyone that love exists. It simply says, "I believe." There's something incredibly comforting about that kind of confidence.

As I've gotten older, I've realized believing in love is actually a choice.

Life has a way of testing us. We get disappointed. People let us down. Hearts get broken. It's easy to become cynical, to protect ourselves by expecting less from other people, or even from ourselves. Choosing love isn't always the easier path, but I think it's almost always the better one.

For me, that doesn't just mean romantic love. It means choosing to love the people in my life a little more generously. It means extending kindness when it's easier to become frustrated. It means giving myself grace on the days when I fall short. Most of all, it means believing that even after difficult seasons, our hearts are capable of opening again.

Didn't my other mother, RuPaul, say something similar? "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?" Can I get an amen?

The older I get, the more I believe that's true. I've learned that on the other side of pain there really can be joy. On the other side of disappointment there can be hope. On the other side of fear there can still be love, if we're willing to leave the door open.

That's one of the reasons I started Lyrical Sunshine. I wanted to create something that reminded people of the songs that made them feel hopeful, joyful, understood, and connected. Music has always had that effect on me, and I have a feeling I'm not alone.

So today, I'm choosing love. Love for the people who make life beautiful. Love for the people who challenge me to grow. Love for this little dream called Lyrical Sunshine. And maybe most importantly, love for myself, because I've finally learned that it isn't selfish. It's where everything else begins.

I believe in feeling good. I believe in kindness. And yes, I still believe in love. How about you?

Look to the sun and sing along,

Lindsey