Sunday, November 26, 2017

Love is giving what we want to share - acceptance and encouragement

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth. This as good a definition of love as has ever been made. True love is acceptance and encouragement because the lover wants to share what the lover has already developed and achieved. The law of Karma teaches that we get what we give, we amplify what is in our own hearts.

Most people are not aware that there are two kinds of love: conditional and unconditional. The foregoing statement is not correct because in reality there is only one kind of love and that is unconditional. Conditional love is counterfeit, fraudulent, and even if called "love" by many is not love at all but a business relationship based on the principle of "give to get."

Unconditional love is a rare and beautiful thing when a person, already complete, satisfied, and fulfilled within him/herself loves just because (s)he wants to extend what they have.

Ben was asked by his friend, Jacob, if he would get married again. Ben replied that he would if he could meet someone who was happy with herself. And then Ben said, "Are there any?" Jacob laughed and said, "They are a rare creature. You are serving up a tall order."

Ben said, "Well, like Diogenes looking for an honest person, I am roaming the world looking for a woman who is happy with herself."

"How about you," asked Jacob? "Are you a happy man? Can you love someone unconditionally without expecting anything in return?"

"I aspire to that," said Ben. "Like everyone I know, I have my baggage, my fears, my frustrations, my depressions, but I am getting there. I have learned that you get what you give, you enhance what you extend, you learn what you teach."

Jacob, with a smile, said "Dominus vobiscum."

Ben laughed and replied as he did in his altar boy days, "Et cum spiritu tuo."

1 comment:

  1. People who are genuinely happy are not looking for completion in a "special relationship." They are already content and happy within themselves. The reason for such a person to marry would be to partner with someone to extend the love they have already developed and achieved.

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