Small Acts of Love Go a Long Way

Guest Blog by Christina Bradley. Yale Class of 2016. Member of the Calhoun Happiness Project.

February can be a dreary month; especially amidst the snowstorms and midterms. However, love was in the air Tuesday, February 4th, as the Calhoun Happiness Project discussed Love 2.0 by Barbara Fredrickson. One of the leading researchers about positive emotions at UNC, Fredrickson’s words presented our group with a new spin on a familiar emotion. She states that,

“Love is that micro-moment of warmth and connection that you share with another living being.” (p. 10)

This definition confused many of us. Fredrickson was not speaking about love in the grandiose way many seem to view this word. Rather, she spoke about it at the micro scale.

Frederickson’s book was recently covered by CNN.  And she presents her work here:

Our group was now forced to ponder how to demonstrate love in small ways. Opening the door, smiling as others pass. We discussed the meaning of saying hi to someone and looking them in the eye. Many of us mentioned that being aware of those around us and present during situations, may give us the best chance at experiencing these micro-moments of love. The discussion became very interesting when we started to question whether we agree with Fredrickson; can small, positive moments between two strangers be considered love? Fredrickson is trying to get readers to think about this large concept in a new way.

Maybe bringing love to a smaller scale may bring more smiles to our faces. Maybe a friendly wave or a gracious act, when considered love, could bring a new element to an interaction with a stranger. Maybe the recognition of these micro-moments of love is really what the world needs.