Love! A word that is in such wide use that it defies the imagination to encompass all of its meanings. We use the word to describe a whole array of emotions. We use the word to describe our political agendas (as in "I love the environment."). We use the word to describe how we feel toward other people (as in "I fell in love with her..."). We use the word to describe how we feel toward inanimate objects (as in "I love chocolate.").
Yet when one looks closely at the word, it is used to describe something of ourselves that we think other people might understand. We assume that all people have similar thoughts and feelings and we can connect with people on this subliminal level. Where would the music and entertainment business be without this? It is a universal longing of mankind to love and be loved.
There is a more solid and potent meaning to the word, however, when it describes a principle rather than an emotion. This takes the form of syllogism which generally states: If I love this person, then I will... The action I take in any instance, then, is determined by what I think would truly benefit the person who is the object of my love. In this case, it becomes my personal responsibility to tailor my actions whether they be words or deeds in a way that benefits the person to whom I am directing this action.
When we say we love our fellow man, based on this principle, we want certain things for him: we want him to be free, prosperous, healthy, productive, tall, smart, and good-looking. In short, when we discipline ourselves to make this principle our own guiding principle, we become like a stove: the closer people get to us the warmer they get. Applied to our family, our friends, our community, our nation, what we get is a free, prosperous, just society.
The framers of our constitution apparently had this in mind when they wrote this historic document.
How about it, seekers? Do we have the courage to stand up and take charge of ourselves and take care of the people around us? Do we have the guts to say the word and mean it?
Love is about respect and admiration. Love is accountable. I worry that the love our founding fathers once had for this country has been washed from the whitehouse and replaced with power hungry politicians.
ReplyDeleteI agree that love is a word that is pretty much boundless in its interpretations, including the other four-letter word, lust. People who fall into lust rather than love, usually come out on the wrong end of that equation once the fervor dies down, and the reality of waking up next to the same person every day with "morning breath", sets in. Love is applied to everything from humans, to foods, to belongings, to pets, the environment, and etc. Yet, love is something that has one big requirement attached to it, and that is a "demonstration" of that love, not just using the word lightly. This is where a lot of other people get into trouble, saying things like "sure I love ya, baby, I'll call you", and then they never do, because it wasn't genuine, it was used to secure a favorable reaction from its receiver. However, when not acted upon, that favorable reaction turns into sorrow and rejection, and the next time this whelp 'rounds the corner and meets up with the "apple of his eye du jour" he gets whacked with her purse or umbrella.
ReplyDeleteI believe I have the courage to stand up and take charge of myself and help take care of people around me. I do it on a regular basis, and quite often encourage others to do the same. To have the guts to say "I love my neighbor as myself" is a pretty big deal, so, if I say it, then I mean it. That is not to say it's always easy, some of my neighbors are real black holes, who I could help until I was stripped of everything I own, and it still wouldn't be enough, but there are those who are appreciative, and know the importance of helping back, as necessary and/or possible. I think that this kind of love has to be a cooperative and collaborative effort on each of our parts as human beings. Until everyone realizes that much, it won't be genuine because without the demonstration of that love, it will be nothing good.