What the world needs now is...

UDPATE: May 28, 2024

Julie's hearts have been getting around. Now, 260 hearts have been distributed amongst 23 states and 12 countries! That's a whole lotta love. :) Some have even shared photos--yay!

While traveling to Greece and Turkey, Susan (on right in first photo and on left in second photo) shared a heart with Noxie, from South Africa, and with Maria, from Russia. Emma (in third photo) and her family are visiting family in Chicago and Michigan from England.

The Love Network has extended to Illinois, Nevada, California, Ohio, Idaho, Louisiana, New Jersey, Wisconsin, New York, Hawaii, Colorado, Michigan, Wyoming, Florida, Minnesota, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Washington, Maryland, Utah and Oklahoma, plus the countries of Canada, Mexico, United States, Scotland, Turkey, Africa/South Africa, Greece, Italy, Japan, Russia and England.

May 2024--An overwhelmingly popular song about the world needing more love was released in the 1960s—a decade considered one of the most tumultuous and divisive in world history.

Here we are nearly three decades later and sadly it’s a song with very relevant lyrics depicting a world in need of “love, sweet love because that’s the only thing there’s just too little of.”

I won’t go into the details of the 1960s. If you were around you remember. And I won’t go into the details of the 2000s. If you’re reading this, you’re around and you know.

But what I will go into detail about is my cousin, Julie, who is out there doing her best to spread love—throughout the country and the world for that matter. Julie sent me some heart shaped rose-quartz stones, the stone of love, along with a card reminding me I am loved, and I could keep the stone or share it with someone. Since she sent me more than one, I decided to do both.

I assumed I wasn’t the only one she sent this to—but until we had a chance to talk, I had no idea how this started or how widespread it had become.

“I started this project for myself as an ‘antidote’ to the sadness I’d been feeling about all the discord in the world,” Julie said. “It was seriously starting to get me down, so I wanted to do something about it. My intention was to start focusing on the good in the world and see love wherever I go. I had no idea what to do; I just knew it was time to do something.”

One night while doing meditation, it came to Julie that the antidote to the stress, strife, sadness, anger, judgment, fear, and the gamut of emotions she was feeling every time she turned on the news—is love. “Love, and only love, is the answer and the antidote,” she said.

With that in mind she created a “Love Network.”

”I didn’t know how long it would last or how far it would reach, but the thought of it made my heart sing, so I went for it. I started giving away little rose-quartz hearts along with some cards I created by hand. At first, I was making the cards on my computer, printing them, and then cutting them out one by one,” she said. However, after she had given away her first 40 hearts, she realized she needed to streamline her operation—so she created a postcard and had it professionally printed.

Julie began the project on March 8, 2024. Exactly two months later, she had given away nearly 220 hearts to friends, family, and strangers in 20 states and seven countries!

She’s getting some great feedback—which tells her the Love Network is working. “It’s been fun, heartwarming and so rewarding—and sometimes, downright surprising—to witness so many acts of kindness as the Love Network expands,” she said.

“From friendly strangers talking to me while I’m out and about (the unsolicited compliments are especially nice) to someone letting me go ahead of her in a long line at the post office and friends (and friends of friends) sending me beautiful letters and texts, to other friends asking for more hearts they can give away—and one of them making a monetary donation to help me keep the Love Network going!,” she said.

A letter from a longtime friend really hit home for her.

The letter read: “Wow! How the universe works in amazing fashion! I was pulling into my driveway after having one of my most horrific days ever. About a mile before I got home, you popped into my head. I opened my mailbox and voilà! (For those who don't speak Spanish, that means a large violin.) There was a package from you! Julie, I was in such a dark place today. Then I saw your rose quartz hearts and your lovely card—it absolutely moved me to tears! I'm crying now just writing this. Thank you, thank you, thank you for lifting my spirits and reminding me that I am truly loved no matter what I do, no matter what I've become.

“Thank you immensely for these beautiful hearts. I will take two and distribute them to people that need the lift you just gave me, and I will keep one as a constant reminder to "See love, Be love, Spread love." I will keep this in my pocket every day and always think of you and your kindness every time I look at it!”

How long will Julie continue? “I honestly don’t know,” she said. “All I know is that I’m gaining way too much to stop any time soon. So, for now, I’m just playing it by ear. I’ve sent out some prayers for support and guidance, and I look forward to seeing what happens. If money were no object, I’d do this forever.”

That brings her right back to what she heard during her meditation: “Only love is the answer; only love is the antidote. And as I have come to experience, the fastest way to change the state of the world is to change my state of mind.”

If you’d like to contact Julie, you can reach out to her at juliette.looye@sbcglobal.net.

Spread the love….one day at a time….

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