"Love Sufficent Unto Love"

For a period of time in the lives of the Taylor children, we were "latch-key kids." We'd come home from school with both parents at work and like most children we'd wind up fighting with each other. But everyday, we would be united by one hour of time when we would sit and watch a soap opera that we loved. Had our parents been there we would have been prohibited from viewing it mind you!

Those soap operas (as do other tv shows now) demonstrated for us a picture of love that was truly worldly. Love was seen as fragile, something that could be given and taken away. It was controlling, possessive, co-dependent, often without trust and of course sexually oriented. It involved arguments and tensions of all sorts that ultimately ended in the tragedy of broken relationships. While the other pictures of love in our lives (that shared between our parents, our other family members etc.) was different, I've often wondered how much we were swayed by the images that we took in as we defiantly watched those shows each weekday.

Examining the levels of human consciousness from force toward power, we now find that the level building on reason is that of love. As regards reason, the participants in that level are so focused on specifics that they miss the larger picture. Love, in contrast, sees the wide angle view and thus there is more grace and forgiveness than the false love portrayed by so many television images.

In the Greek language there are many words for love but in my opinion the best description is that of agape love. We translate agape as unconditional love and that is precisely what this level of human consciousness is! It is unchanging and permanent. There are no fluctuations with this love and thus there is complete trust. Those who love in this fashion are able to create solidity in the context of their relationships. They nurture and support--not because of any decision that they make intellectually speaking but simply because their hearts are so big. Love extends from the heart. It buoys other people!

Reason was that place where data is so important and we find ourselves blinded by information but with love we find that our intuition takes over and pulls us toward a larger understanding of life's situation than reason could afford us. It is that intuition that gives us our clearest understanding of life. Love isn't about taking a position but rather focuses on all that is good. In the face of negativity it simply places the negative thoughts/behavior/etc. in a new context rather than attacking or judging it/them. Love is where happiness is truly found.

The Biblical scriptures tell us that "love never fails (I Corinthians 13)." That picture of how love never fails is seen in these words by Kahlil Gibran, "love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love posesses not nor would it be possessed; for love is sufficient unto love." (From The Prophet, p.13) That picture of how love never fails is seen in the people around us who live it out. My hope for us all is that we will reach the level of love, know its magnificent offerings and revel in sharing it with others. Such practice of love can only open the way to pure joy! May it be so!