| Love:
The Personality |
"I
am love to you." |
Love is a great motivator.
It causes us to behave in certain ways towards people. It causes
us to risk our hearts, and can even cause us to risk our lives. If
we ever wonder whether or not we truly love someone, we could ask ourselves,
"would
I die for him/her?" If the answer is, "in a heartbeat,"
then yes, it really is love. If we are not sure, then it is possible
that we are holding something of ourselves back, in reserve. By holding
back, we are "hedging our bets," which means we hope to survive the relationship,
no matter what. Live through it. So, we certainly would not
die for our beloved. Our lives and hearts are more important to us,
in that case.
As Jesus Christ
says:
"Greater love has
no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends."
And if we love someone
to the point that we would die for them, can we not also live for them?
If we are willing to lay down our lives for their sake, sacrificing something
less should be a piece of cake. How ridiculous would it be to hear,
"sure,
I’d die for you honey, but I’m keeping my TV remote?"
And as Saint
John wrote:
"We ought to lay
down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions,
and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him, how can the
love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue,
but with actions and in truth."
I have found that an open-handed
policy in human relationships is very successful and rewarding. By
this, I mean only when we stop holding tightly on to what we have, that
our hands are also free to receive. Maybe twelve years ago, I really
felt in need. So much so, that I felt that I didn’t have anything
to spare. I didn’t give, I needed people to give to me. But,
I never received anything. My soul only got more shriveled up.
This was because I was focused on my own lack, and trying to get other
people to fill it for me.
Finally, I realized
that the only way for me to live, was to give love. I didn’t have
much ability, but I gave all I had. That way, I became the conduit
of love, and as it was blessing other people, I was blessed by love, too.
Not merely because some loved in return, either.
The love that I possessed
for them, nourished me. Because, for love to be fully experienced,
it must be given. Receiving love is an external experience-- with
some benefit, or course! But, if we give love, it makes us become
love incarnate to someone! And when we are love, our souls
live! The soul grows and blossoms. And as the soul grows, the
ability to love even more, is increased. Happiness, and all sorts
of good things result. But love is it’s own reward!
As Shakespeare
wrote:
"My bounty is as
boundless as the sea,
My love as deep;
the more I give to thee,
The more I have,
for both are infinite."
The personality of love
is a state of being, where the person has become someone who automatically
does the loving thing. Love incarnate. Gives. Sacrifices.
Lays down his or her life. For everyone and anyone. Regardless
of anyone’s supposed worthiness of being the beneficiary of such behavior.
So, love’s personality does not judge. "You are human; my brother
/ sister, therefore I accept you, help you, treat you with respect."
As Mother
Teresa said:
"If you judge someone,
you have no time to love them."
Love’s personality can
become angry when the beloved (humanity in general, or a specific individual)
is mistreated. This will cause the lover to take up the cause, to
help alleviate the suffering his/her beloved is being subjected to.
Love: The
Personality is defined as a state of being the lover dwells in, which will
cause him or her to act for the benefit of the beloved.
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