Somehow, when we are young, we get the impression that love is out there, somewhere, searching for us and will find us. We think that love awaits us in the future, and will appear, obvious before us -- when the time is right.

As we grow and meet people, we discover that lasting love is not so obvious. We learn that some loves are actually passing fancies, and sometimes, even mistakes. Each time we feel love, we think, "this must be it." Then, as we learn from experiences, the mindset shifts, and we begin to wonder instead, "is this The One?"

The majority of us realize we actually look for love. We crave the feelings of love every day, continuously. We seek love in all of our relationships and behaviors.

There is more than One True Love. Love comes in all sizes, shapes, forms and genres. It is both obvious and invisible, direct and indirect, gargantuan and minuscule, infinite and brief. Love brings life’s greatest pleasures as well as life’s deepest pains.

While many blindly seek that "true love," they overlook the love already present in every day of our lives. And the more we express our own love, the move love we will find.

Single, married, alone or surrounded, we need to both express and receive love. When we are understood, appreciated, recognized, shown respect, compliments or embraced -- we are affirmed, and feel loved.

Kindness is love; love for community and for others. Appreciation is love; love for something or someone special or worthy. Respect is love; a love of trust and honor. Even a silent smile, offered in passing on the sidewalk is an exchange of good will. And what is good will? It’s love!

You have to be willing to see love in all kinds of places, and you have to share it so it will grow. It’s how you invest in the loves you find that makes them long-lasting, perfect and true.

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I think Two-Lane Livin’ magazine is a lot like love. We hope you’ll share what you learn or enjoy in the magazine with others; it’s what readers and clients put into the magazine that will make it long-lasting and a true; and, sometimes you have to look for it.

Newspaper racks today are awfully crowded. It seems there isn’t enough space for all the great publications available. And as a free publication, we get the "runt of the rack litter" so to speak, because distribution locations need to make money from the papers you pay for, so those are displayed at the top. That’s smart business.

For us though, it sometimes means that we’re stuck on the bottom shelf. Or, we’re over with the magazines and not the newspapers. In some places, Two-Lane Livin’ is on top of the cigarette case, or on top of the trash can by the door. Some of our distribution locations have room for our counter racks, but counter space is very valuable.

We are grateful for every one of our distribution locations. We are blessed with their gift of space in their shelves, tables and chairs. So, we are happy to adapt and adjust to what they have available, and I hope readers will keep an eye out for us in some of those not-so-obvious spaces.

Yes, Two-Lane Livin’ is like love... Sometimes you have to look for it.

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Come to think of it, it seems in our two-lane lifestyle, we have to look for all sorts of things. Look for love, look for copies of Two-Lane Livin’, look for places to socialize, try something new, find the best deal, find specific products or services.

I have a problem when I’m looking for places. Not being from here, I truly wonder sometimes if locals realize that very often, the names of the roads, places, routes on signs and maps is not the same as the name the locals use when giving directions. One common example is roads near creeks or streams. The road has one name on the sign, but locals will refer to the place with the name of the stream. I’ve traveled many miles of backways and backroads because of this.

(And that was before the whole 911 addressing project hit Central West Virginia. Now, I’m REALLY confused.)

One of my favorite sayings is "Not all who wander are lost." For some reason, it was not in my nature to take the "straight and narrow" paths of life. Oh, there were many times I was metaphorically in the ditch or off the deep end. But, even though I never wanted my life to be so complicated, the rough roads beat and blessed me to be the person I am today. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I’ve witnessed some fascinating, awesome and amazing sights one won’t find on the straight and narrow.

Central West Virginia is much the same. Potholes, broken and patched pavement, low water crossings, and turns that torture tires. But where else can you crest a hill to be presented with a breath-taking sunset? What other travelers in the region spy hawks soaring, deer grazing, spring wildflowers and the beautifully burning colors of the leaves in the fall?

Where else can you walk into one store to buy milk, fishing worms, plumbing supplies, feed, gasoline, and vintage clothing never worn, right off the original rack? (Nottinghams’ -- Duck, W.va.)

Where else can you find nice clothes for your whole family for a steal? (Minnora Methodist Mission, Hospice Thrift Store in Glenville, Bargain Cellar in Pennsboro).

There are dozens of wondrous places in our region, but few are on the main thoroughfares. If you are willing to wander, you’ll find fabulous places - unlike any other in the world.

The same point applies to "Things To Do." People who say "There’s nothing to do here," just don’t know what’s really going on. Where else can you attend bluegrass performances every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights? Where else are there as many Basket Bingo’s and Dip-N-Donates?

Dancing, singing, crafting, learning, networking, bidding, shopping, teaching, meeting, hiking, fishing, camping, swimming, bowling, antiquing -- it’s all going on in our region, somewhere or other. You just have to know when and where. That’s why we created our regional event calendar. You can pull out the printed calendar, and hang in up where you can see it and starting this month, you can check our calendar online as well.

So, send us your event listings, and check our calendars regularly. You’ll soon see that quite often, there’s plenty to do, and when you feel like finding something to do, you’ll know where to look.

Folks just have to know where to look for the when and the where, and that place is here - in Two-Lane Livin’ - where ALL events open to the public are listed FREE.

We want folks to know, there IS "something to do." ~Lisa