“Without Love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.”
-St. Therese of Lisieux
Love
Such a simple word but packed with so much meaning.
What does it mean? Why do so many people seek it? Why is it important?
Is it true that True Love only revolves around romantic love?
Why is the older generation so against romantic love? Why does the world teach us that we should give in to the pleasures of those romantic feelings?
At the end of the day, why do we feel so empty if we have done everything that is required to gain that love?
Not all the Answers...
I don’t have all the answers, but I can tell you what I do know.
Love has much more to do with who we were made to be - to be loved and to love.
Everyone’s purpose has to do with some version of loving and being loved. A mother is called to love her children and to be loved by her children. A child is called to love their parents and experience that love in turn. Spouses are meant to love each other in a unique way.
True Love has to do with the highest form of love. Agape. It is a love that sacrifices and gives in a perfect manner. It perfect the other loves (friendship, filial, and romantic) so that they are fulfilling. This kind of love cannot be achieved without God.
He is Love.
Modern Day Problems
Being Hispanic and born in the United States, I have encountered problems on both sides.
Society tells us that we should do what we want to do, however we want to do it and whenever we want to do. No one should tell us what to do. Not even our parents.
Coming from a Hispanic background, the older generation tells us that believing in love to be everlasting and true is false. That there is no love and its only a passing pleasure. They say that romantic love is filthy and is passing.
You see, both are correct and very wrong at the same time.
True Love is real. It exists, but not in the way society or the older generation addresses it at times. Romantic love is beautiful. It is unique. But it is only fulfilling if done properly. We should be able to do what we want, but within those bounds that puts the other first.
If we cannot be selfless when it comes to loving then we cannot love at all.
Selfishness
The root of the problem.
It is part of our human nature to want to be loved.
The problem is when we put ourselves at the center of our universe believing that we are the most worthy of love. If everyone has that outlook, then no one looks to the other.
What happens? There is no love. Precisely because everyone is focused on themselves.
The Most Perfect Example
Christ is the most perfect example.
Christianity is a religion based on love. The radical kind of love.
Love that is freely given without asking for anything in return. Love that seeks the good of the other and sacrifices for the other.
We cannot love perfectly if we don’t strive to imitate His love.
Whether you choose to believe this or not, it is up to you.
Try it. I dare you.
Inspiration
True love has always been my inspiration.
Ever since I can remember, I was entranced by the thought of being selflessly loved by another person.
My experiences with love have been imperfect. People are human and it hurts. There are many wounds and scars that have healed since I discovered Christ’s love.
That True Love that I have discovered has inspired to write pages upon pages of books just to communicate to the world that True Love exists and that it is available to everyone!
If you feel inspired to hear more of my testimony or have me share it with your community, please contact me at the link below!