What's Love Got To Do With It?

What's love got to do with it?  EVERYTHING!

I'm no expert in love, in fact I really don't feel qualified to speak of love, but here is what I have come to understand so far.  Love is all that really matters.  I'm not talking about the hearts and ribbons, hugs and kisses stuff.  I am talking about real love, the kind of love that we display when we take an interest in those around us, when we are willing to open ourselves up and trust people.  When we are willing to look beyond the outer image of those around us and see the beauty that lies within them and trust that in their heart lives someone who is beautiful even though on the outside they may be displaying otherwise.  It's trusting even when we have no real basis for that trust and loving even when someone appears to be the most unlovable.

Love is taking the time to notice others around us and listen to them, really listen.  While others speak we should stop thinking of what it is that we want to say in response to their words, stop thinking about what we would like to teach them about how they "should" behave or how we would like to show them how "wrong" they are about what they say or how what they say makes us feel.  We should listen with an opened heart to what they are saying to us.  Listen with a clear and quiet mind trusting that if there is anything we need to say when they are done speaking it will come to us when they are done, but while they speak it is our time to really listen with our full attention them and what they are saying.  We should clear our minds and open our hearts while others speak to us.

Trusting is giving others the benefit of the doubt.  It's not making assumptions from past experience.  It's understanding that we all deserve the opportunity to learn and grow and change when necessary.  It's knowing  that along the way we may make some choices that lead us down a difficult path, but still we are worthy of love and acceptance, no matter what path we have chosen.  It's looking at someone and holding  them with love right where they are.  We never know for sure why some people are on a certain path, but there is a purpose for it and we should not make assumptions or judge them or ourselves for the paths we've chosen to take.

This is no easy task and the most difficult part is that we must start by loving ourselves.  If we can't love ourselves, we will not be able to fully love those around us.