I'm focussing on not hating others as a stepping stone to loving them. But you know what? I don't think we can ever love some people, how they want to be loved anyway.
Definitions first eh? Well I am going to challenge normal convention and say to truly love someone is to like them as well. Don't we want to be liked? If we feel liked, then we feel loved. I couldn't have married my partner unless I liked her personality as well. I hope God doesn't just love me, I hope he likes me too ."Like" implies a preference for a certain kind I admit. And we cant like everyone. There will be certain people we dislike because we cant stand that type of person.
So love is tolerance? Acceptance? "Paul I don't like you, but I can love you!" How deflating! it's like you deserve a medal for loving me!
My parish priest has a smile on his face all the time. As he starts his sermon, "my dear friends......". We all feel loved and I feel liked and loved. its as if he feels a pleasure to have us in his company. We feel special. We feel welcomed. And when he meets me individually I feel special too. Liked and loved. Not a burden.
But getting back to my original premise, I'll be focussing on not hating others for a while. Love will take some time to achieve.
(sorry this blog entry lacks cohesion)
Definitions first eh? Well I am going to challenge normal convention and say to truly love someone is to like them as well. Don't we want to be liked? If we feel liked, then we feel loved. I couldn't have married my partner unless I liked her personality as well. I hope God doesn't just love me, I hope he likes me too ."Like" implies a preference for a certain kind I admit. And we cant like everyone. There will be certain people we dislike because we cant stand that type of person.
So love is tolerance? Acceptance? "Paul I don't like you, but I can love you!" How deflating! it's like you deserve a medal for loving me!
My parish priest has a smile on his face all the time. As he starts his sermon, "my dear friends......". We all feel loved and I feel liked and loved. its as if he feels a pleasure to have us in his company. We feel special. We feel welcomed. And when he meets me individually I feel special too. Liked and loved. Not a burden.
But getting back to my original premise, I'll be focussing on not hating others for a while. Love will take some time to achieve.
(sorry this blog entry lacks cohesion)