All We Need Is Love
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2009
by Michael Gaffley
flatlinetochange
We live in a world that can be very cold and indifferent. People interact with each other without engaging, each with the other. We have pretty much forgotten the small courtesies in life that make a big difference. When last did you smile with the garbage collector? When last did you exchange a smile with the clerk at the desk, at the post office, the bank or the government offices?
Do you still remember how you scratched the shape of a heart on a tree and inscribed your initials and that of your sweetheart? Do still remember walking in the park with your mom and dad? Do you still remember the joy that family outings brought? No matter what happened there is no reason for you not to love and to be loved. No-one is unlovable. We will all get our comeuppance for starving the world of love.
So many young people can go so much further in life if they can have just one person who love them and are crazy about them without having the need to always judge them and to criticize the values of young people. Can we have an epidemic of love that will help people know that they are loved and that they do not have to destroy their lives?
All we desperately need is a healthy dose of love. It is love that takes the friction out of our relationships. It is love that makes the struggle seem worthwhile. It is love that adds value to the sacrifice. Now I know that it is difficult to smile when the other driver tries to cut you off by cutting in, in front of you just to slam on his brake for the red light immediately ahead. I know that it is difficult to smile and to release love when a child has been willfully rude and disobedient towards you.
Love is the only possibility and tool that you have to influence an improvement in both a personally and professionally unacceptable situation. Show me how else you can soften the hardness of heart of your spouse because nagging has never achieved anything.
You know many of us come from loveless homes. Many of us have been rejected by our parents, siblings or partners. The only way that we can hide our pain is by hardening our exterior to protect us from another possible onslaught by someone who does not love. Have you ever been able to smile when you have toothache? Have you ever been able to smile when your head is hurting? See, you cannot release a smile or release love when you are in pain.
Make time to find a friend with whom you can share your pain. Share this with someone that will not exploit you but love you unconditionally, nonetheless. I have a friend that is closer than a brother. I have a friend who walks with me and who talks with me along the narrow way of life.
Do not let pain continue to drive your life. Discover the joy of living and give thanks, be grateful. Write a letter to someone that you have pained. Release them from pain. Maybe you spoke some harsh words to your mom, your dad, your younger sister, your older brother, your friend, your colleague. Maybe your daughter overhead something that you said about her to your sister; you need to know that that can hurt.
Be nice and help others to find joy in this life. Let us do more than tip the waiter; let us say thank you as well. Instead of yelling at the bus driver for being two seconds late; thank him or her for the ride. Instead of rushing the cashier let us offer to help bag the groceries. Let us give our seat to women and to older people.
Love will respect others. Love will encourage others. Love will empower others. As you love others, you will find love in return. Remember love is not just a feeling of the heart that affects the brain. Love is not just Christmas gifts, Valentine's Day romance, special occasion jewelry and gifts and sex. Love is an action. Love is a decision. Love is a commitment. Love is the selfless act of giving to others what they need most. Bring the dignity of life back by putting the essential component of life, love, in its rightful place. Show the love not because of what you can get out of the situation, cause or relationship but because of what you bring to the cause, relationship or situation.
Last but not least, love has no need to be in control or to manipulate. Love serves. Love does not make idle promises. Love serves. Love does not exploit. Love serves. Love will outlast everything, sickness, poverty, troubles wealth, wisdom, hope and even faith. Love is the greatest attribute of any life worth living.
As much as you are hanging in there waiting for someone to do the loving thing; your loving thing is the answer to the prayer of someone who is hanging in there.
Love is like a boomerang; it always comes back hundredfold.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Michael an excellent article and true, yet one cannot help but look at the world, not the lesson you talk to, the world. Do we see love at work in the world? Now certainly there is love at work. There are lights scattered all about. Yet these lights in this dark world are specs compared to the darkness that has engulfed us all. I agree wholeheartedly that your premise is correct yet it will not be. It cannot be and I ahve spoked to why I hold that opinion. We do not excpect it,d emand it nor contest it in our leaders and in almost evry aspect of our society. Should we workl toward it, certainly, in what you say. Sadly and i do mean sadly, we should not expect it. Now you may disagree but even while 82% profess God it is not. The facts that many do not like. The fact that many preacher avoids. The fact that is deomonstrated or not in ones works and deeds. Good Job.Robert thank you for sharing your thoughtprovoking ideas.Sorry for so many type errors i don;t know why my editor isn't picking them up.I got the message
Very interesting article. The lesson for me is that I must love no matter what the world does or says, no matter what my expectations are. Thank you for sharing. Linda D.Thank you for taking time to read my article. Your comments are appreciated.
Michael, my sadness over your loss and happiness that your son will soon be with you. My prayers to you and yours, RobertRobert this is sooooooooo thoughtful of you. Appreciated
As a Medium I can say the biggest regret of all involved is never having gotten that final moment to say I love you. If it needs to be said say it now if it needs to be done do it now because all any of us have is the moment we are in.I could not agree with you more. Thanks for sharing
great article
I love you. So will you love me? If only this was written in the government laws. If it was just standard to love each other with out thinking twice about it, this world could be so much better. But instead our society teaches us that we are all different and should hate each other, kill each other and the last thing we should do is love each other. One day the world will wake up, I believe it is possible. We are only a reflection of each other.Well posited Mathew. I appreciate the time you took to raed and respond to this article. I have just posted an article about the presidents state of the union address
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