WORDS OF LOVE
I love the wonderful passage by St Paul in the 13th chapter of Corinthians that describes what love is, (The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible). Most Christians know this passage well. You know: love is patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way. I won’t name every attribute here or offer an overview of St Paul’s elegant exposition on the subject because in my opinion, I don’t think his description of love has ever been surpassed. Still, I would like to add some thoughts of my own on the subject.
I love to hear and see love demonstrated in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For me, love is richly present in the authentic pleasure of hearing myself say or having someone say to me: thank you or I’m sorry or I love you or can I help you or please help me or I’m sorry I was wrong or please forgive me or it’s a pleasure to meet you.
I also feel the love from the person who lets me into rush hour traffic. To me, that is a most graceful act of altruism. I really enjoy the love that rises up in me when I see and feel acceptance and love in another person’s face and attitude. The simple act of opening a door for a woman or a man or having them open the door for me or hearing a friend or acquaintance say how happy they are to see me can elevate my mood for a couple of hours, but perhaps the most precious experience of all is being trusted by a helpless, innocent child when he needs love and comfort, and reaches out for me.
I would say that after all things are considered that these words and actions of love bring about a deep recognition in each of our souls that we are one with each other, all creation and our creator.
Jack