Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Two - Love's Effects

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. ~~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The word 'hate' is an ugly word to view on the page. I don't like it at all. Makes me tense just looking at it. But the word 'love' is pleasant and soothing. Concepts real and true.

Choices to take, decisions to make.

Easy to be crabby, angry, dourly. To grouch around, criticize, fume. Harder to see the bright side. Hard to overcome frustration, especially when its cause is entirely outside of ourselves. This takes a certain amount of training for some of us. But train we must if its love's effects we desire.

The effects of hate harm deep, jagged, sometimes irretrievably. But love, love, love does indeed cover a multitude of sins. Love's effects pave the way for understanding.

Understanding leads to openness and cooperation.

And forgiveness.

And togetherness.

And eventually, joy.

2 comments:

tshsmom said...

My mother NEVER forgives or forgets even the slightest insult, real or imagined. Growing up with her attitude, I decided that I wanted to do everything in my power to be the exact opposite. I think I've succeeded rather well in that endeavor.

Forgiveness frees my soul!

Cherie said...

I love your comment, Tshs. It proves the power to overcome. And the resultant freedom. So happy for you!

Sometimes - well, often - I think that the fact that I come from a critical, rather neurotic family has been the catalyst for all my soul-searching. It gave me the experience required to desire a different approach.

Like you, I think I've succeeded. And there really is a lightness to putting the past in the past and leaving it there.