When we ponder love, we recognize the richness of that word and the many ways it can be interpreted in our lives and lives of others. If we make love our central theme, what does that mean for the way we live? Great women and men who have promoted justice and/or promote justice today often refer to love as the single most powerful motivation with regard to their efforts.
How have you experienced love, and when you think about love, how does that direct your life?
Devotion
I've experienced love as devotion. I remember the early days of loving my mother, father, siblings and other relatives. I was devoted to my mother and father, often watching them with big eyes and trying to live up to their wishes and dreams for me. I was devoted to them as a young child--I wanted to do what I could to make them happy and forward the love they felt and showed me to others.
Butterflies
I remember my first crushes, the boys that created butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't take my eyes of those boys. I dreamt about them and imagined spending time with them.
Decision
Sometimes I simply made a decision to love someone. I remember making that decision with one of my siblings. We had some sibling rivalry, but one day I simply decided that I was going to love that sibling no matter what. It was a good decision and one I still revisit regularly to gain the kind of strength and effort a good decision requires.
Commitment
On the day I got married I made a commitment to love my husband for my whole life. It's a commitment I recommit to regularly, and fortunately it turned out that he's a good man to love and a commitment that brings me great joy and happiness.
Beauty
The natural beauty of landscapes, people and places makes me fall in love too. Sometimes when I'm in a beautiful place or witnessing a gorgeous example of visual art, music, dance or architecture, a feeling of love overwhelms me and inspires me. I marvel at the beauty and wonder people and nature create, and I am always in love with that process and result.
Quest
Love inspires me to investigate and find out. So many times, my love for my children, parents, siblings, the children I teach, friends and others have led me on great searches to find out. The greatest example of this was when one son was deathly ill. His illness prompted me to search for an answer, and the search helped to solve the problem.
Celebration
A lot of effort goes into a celebration, but when you celebrate someone you love dearly, that work is pure pleasure. Love inspires and creates celebration.
Intimacy
Often people singly think about love as intimacy, and while love has many faces, intimacy is a most important aspect of many loving relations. The strength of an intimate look or action translates the depth of love in ways that words cannot.
Anguish
Great love can create anguish too. When a loved one is challenged, led astray, harmed, hurt or lost, we feel tremendous pain.
Justice
Our love for one another creates the desire that all live with justice, peace and the opportunity to live their best possible lives. Love leads us to desire the best possible circumstances for others.
Depth
It is often difficult to put into words what love feels like since it is a feeling that reaches into our greatest depths.
Goodness
True love translates into goodness.
With Valentine's Day on the horizon, it is a good time to think of the depth and breadth of love--perhaps this Valentine's Day, the way you celebrate will represent the many diverse and wonderful ways you love. I am planning to do that.