Cynthia Ford: How the Heart Mirrors Love

How the Heart Mirrors Love

How does the heart mirror love and relationships?

In February, we are reminded of the importance of having a healthy heart, sharing love, and having healthy relationships. As we know, American Heart Health Month and Valentine’s Day reigns as a top focus. Even though the heart is about the size of a fist, it pacts a powerful punch with the huge responsibility it has for the body’s survival. The heartbeat is one of the first signs of life and has the power to send an immediate ray of joy to parents waiting to hear from their unborn child.

There is a shattering number of individuals diagnosed with heart disease throughout the world. Therefore, everyone must understand the purpose and functionality of the heart as we strive to implement healthy change. This understanding will lead to intentional shifts in what is consumed and in purposeful pursuits. In this article, we will walk through the basics of the physical heart and how it mirrors love and relationships. Let’s start with a basic breakdown of the heart. The heart is separated into four chambers (right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle). Blood flows into the heart through the vena cava to the first chamber, the right atrium. Blood then travels down to the right ventricle. After leaving the right ventricle, it flows to the lungs. While in the lungs, the blood picks up oxygen as we inhale and exhale. The oxygenated blood displays a brighter red color after this exchange in the lungs. The blood then travels back into the heart through the left atrium and down to the left ventricle. After leaving the left ventricle, blood flows away from the heart to the rest of the body. This interaction between the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system is a powerful and amazing depiction of how our bodies are simple yet complex. The units within our body operate together strategically and the heart serves as a necessary central unit. The main purpose of the heart is to pump blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body.

Culturally, we learn the art of establishing relationships and how to display love. Yet we maintain some sort of commonality at the core of love and relationships. Love and relationships have a flow just like the heart has a continuous flow through the circulatory system.

Right Atrium Love

Love offers a space to receive. In healthy relationships, we open ourselves to receive love from others. As we mature, we learn to filter out things that are not candid and present to be risky. Receiving is multifaceted, as we can receive emotionally and physically, naturally, and materialistically. It is important to allow space to receive love and remain vigilant yet open to those offering love.

Right Ventricle Love

Love offers connection. From our inception, we have been connected to someone or something. No one is exempt from this attribute. This connection deepens with time and continuous interaction. What was your

initial connection with your loved one? What has weakened your connection? What has strengthened your connection? Maintaining this connection involves several strategies. It also involves an honest acknowledgment of the fact that as we continue to grow into ourselves, we are no longer the same person that started in the initial connection. Love accepts this change and the opportunity to grow individually and together.

Left Atrium Love

Love offers an exchange of valuable energy. As we connect with our loved ones, we exchange energy through interaction and everything that makes our relationship what it is. We exchange love for love and value for value. When one begins to feel less valued and unloved, the connection is damaged. However, with communication and filtering through the actions that caused those feelings, the relationship can be repaired.

Left ventricle Love

Love offers a space to pour your love into others willing to receive your love. This pouring of love is an investment. When one invests, there is an expectation of something in return. We invest in what we have labeled to be valuable. We pour our time, we pour our energy, and we pour pieces of ourselves. Pouring out without refilling will eventually lead to having a void space. This void space plays on emotions and causes one to either shut down due to lack or seek that which is missing.

Knowledge of how to maintain a healthy heart and healthy relationship is a huge part of the foundation. Be informed on what is needed and strive to meet that need. Be cautious with what you’re feeding your heart and your relationship. Let’s keep our connections strong and recognize what brings our heart and relationship value. Our heart pumps to provide the appropriate flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients. Love is sometimes an action that pumps what relationships need. Each chamber of the heart does its part to sustain life. It is the job of each unit in relationships to do their part to sustain healthy relationships.

What keeps your heart pumping? What keeps your relationship healthy and flowing?