****How would you define Love?

How would you define “Love”? Is it passion? Is it affection? Is it sex?

 Love is emotions, feelings and much more. I would say love is too sacred to define with words. It is one of those mysteries you have been privileged to know but cannot share or express to others.

It is said there are many kinds of love—love for a woman or a man; for a parent or a child; for a friend or a teacher— but for me, they are all the same, e.g. If many people get water out of the ocean, the container might be different but it is the same water. The same way, there are many ways to express our love but it is the same love. They all shares similar qualities.

I like the way the Bible expressed it in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

^"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts always hopes, and always perseveres."

Love is patient

Love is kind

Love does not envy

Love does not boast

Love is not proud

Love doesn't dishonor others

Love is not self-seeking

Love is not easily angered

Love keeps no record of wrongs

Love does not delight in evil

Love rejoices with the truth

Love always protects

Love always trusts

Love always hopes

Love always preserves

When we are not doing what has listed above, we are not loving. I think, very often we have a very misguided idea of love. The media certainly teach us to do the opposite of these – it shows us there has to be drama if we are to love or be loved. It shows us we need to revenge when we are or feel wronged. It shows patience as a sign of weakness and boasting as a sign of strength (fake it until you make it.) It teaches us to be self-seeking. It shows us it is OK to cheat as long as we are not caught. It shows us trust is an expensive commodity and we should not give it away. Don’t let today’s TV sitcoms become a pattern for your life.

It tells us that what the Bible is saying about love is superficial and undoable; I say what they are teaching us is superficial; they are filling our minds with lies and garbage. Love delights in serving others—doing little acts of kindness without being asked. Love is more concerned about enriching the lives of another person than it is in gaining the advantage or improving one’s own life. It tells us to be considerate of the needs and wants of a partner, parent, child, or friend; love is more anxious to give than to receive. It teaches us to be sensitive to a person’s feelings and moods, to be a good listener. Love is quick to forgive. Forgiveness means to overlook the faults of others; to hold no grudges. Extend compassion and kindness when you have been wronged or offended—even if someone has not said, “I’m sorry.”  Be quick to mend broken relationships. Sometimes we forgive people because we want to keep them in our lives. Besides, which one of can say that they have never hurt another human being, knowingly or unknowingly. To err is human and to forgive is divine. Appreciate your loved ones, express it verbally. Love teaches us to encourage others and to be supportive. Love teaches us to avoid from ridiculing others or from being condescending toward others.

Roy Croft.

I love you for the part of me that you bring out;

I love you for putting your hand

Into my heaped-up heart and

Passing over all the foolish, weak things

You can’t help dimly seeing there.

I love you because you are helping me

To make the lumber of my life,

Not a tavern but a temple;

Out of the words of my every day—

Not a reproach, but a song.

Let’s build others up, strengthen their self-confidence, and support them in all their dreams and endeavors.