Lucky to Love and to be Loved
If God truly loved us, why are there wars? Why are there fatal illnesses that kill little children before they can appreciate what love is? Why do we pray, when most of the time we can never know if our prayers are answered?
Confusing questions from a confused mind. Well, maybe not so confused. I do believe that prayer opens a conversation between me and God. I believe that prayer is the poetry that seals our relationship with something other than our mundane life on planet Earth. It links our known existence with the unknown forces that we do not and cannot understand. Prayer, and the Love that follows, brings forth a compassionate behavior that allows us to appreciate one another in this hectic world in which we reside. Without this compassion, without this Loving behavior, we would only live alone, out of touch with anyone else. We could not abide by others’ idiosyncrasies. Without this compassion and its permanent companion, Love, we would have no future to anticipate. Everything we do would be to satisfy the cravings of a shallow existence. We would be miserable; we are unhappy.
Ultimately, we have no choice but to accept that there is a universal Love that permits us to be, well, us. Love permits us to enjoy Life, the Life given by God. This also invites us to love not only God, but all people. Without this Love directed to our friends and neighbors, known and unknown, life would not be mysterious; it would be terrifying and useless.
We need each other; we need the Love we share between ourselves and between ourselves and God. This keeps us enjoying everything around us – our friends, our families, and the activities that keep us wanting for more.
To Love is to risk. I have loved many people in my life, and many times I have been hurt, felt abandoned, or depressed, unable to understand the rejection. Since I am now considerably older, I recognize that people who hurt those who love them misinterpret Love for what it is. Love is not infatuation; love is caring for others the way God cares for us. Some of my long-ago friends, and some of my current friends, are too fearful of, well, of anything that may put them in harm’s way. They are too afraid to Love, not love, but Love. I wish I were as caring at age 24 as I am at age 74. I probably would have had no hesitation in telling all my friends, my Marine buddies, my teachers, and yes, my family that I Love them, and always will. For some, it may seem too late; however, I am comfortable with the understanding that when I look back on my life and tell someone from my past that I Love them, I know they hear me. And, I am no longer hesitant to express this Love.
Meditating to Heal 