There is a shortage of love in the world.
Even people who are absolutely supposed to love each other -- husbands and wives, parents and children -- do not always love each other.
Love demands that we take risks, and not only that we take risks, but that we do insanely dangerous things, things that make our souls, and even our bodies, vulnerable to violent damage.
Love is being unselfish, casting off self-protectiveness, dying to my own wants and even to my own needs. This hurts because dying to oneself is, after all, dying. And death is painful.
It's so scary, this letting go self-protectiveness. "What if I die to myself," you ask, "And they are just pleased about it, and they say, 'How nice, one less thing standing in my way.' What if they trample my sacrifice in their hurry to gratify themselves? What then?"
But.
Authentic love is altruistic.
No. I may not be in better shape for having loved. However, someone else will be in better shape if I have loved. Over time and distance, the altruistic love of all those who love altruistically is good for the world.
Love is good for the world.
What can I do to demonstrate love and help the world?
I can't change a lot, but I can control my own actions and the way I treat the people around me. There used to be a song that said, "Brighten the corner where you are."
What if everyone tried to pass on some love? What would this look like? How could we do it? How could we be brave enough to do it?
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Other posts in this series
Love in February
Love and Good Manners
Love . . . does not envy, does not boast
Love my husband
Love graciously probes
Love is not self-seeking
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