At a time when hate is gaining popularity throughout the world, especially in our own “Land of the free and home of the brave,” let’s think about and talk about Love! Through its media capitalization, prioritization and subsequent glorification we inadvertently glorify hate rather than the redemptive power of Love! I am fully aware that the word love is not capitalized in Webster’s dictionary, nor should it be as there are many kinds and degrees of love. But when referencing God’s Love, I feel it should rightfully be when considering the innumerable connotations of mankind’s version.
“Noble have I created thee, yet thou has abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created,” we learn from the Baha’i Holy writings.
It is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to maintain or even achieve world unity without developing our knowing and loving capacities to the fullest. Anything we can do that enables us to love more and know more will be consistent with our true purpose, if we dedicate that love and knowledge to the service and betterment of mankind, the highest station to which one can attain! But our perceptions of love are so minute and distorted for sheer lack of example–which brings us to another dimension for although we inherently possess the capacity to love there is much knowledge to be constantly gained about it.
One valuable component is that we must not only learn how to love but also how to be loved–through deliberate, concerted effort toward becoming more lovable! When others look, speak and act in a manner which makes our efforts to love them more difficult, we become frustrated. The same applies to us when we frustrate efforts by others to love us–which on both parts may often begin with mere tolerance. The word tolerance, however is viewed by some as offensive. But for victims of intolerance it’s a very important beginning as a quantum leap from intolerance to love is highly unlikely.
Another misconcetion is that love is heavily contingent upon youth, beauty, fashion fads and the cosmetic, health and beauty industries–which can certainly add to it. But I firmly believe that Depak Chopra put it most succinctly when stating, “We see ourselves as physical beings seeking spiritual experiences when in fact it is the opposite. We are actually spiritual beings seeking physical experiences.” And in our attempt to satisfy these insatiable desires we remain restless and unfulfilled.
Like kindness, Love is often perceived as weakness, especially from the (so-called) masculine perspective when in fact the exact opposite applies. It requires a tremendous amount of strength and courage to display unashamed love in the proud, hardcore society of today’s youth in particular. It takes a lot of strength to be a mere “instrument through which God’s Love may flow to others…” As we are apprised in the Baha’i Holy Writings: “In the world of existence there is no force greater than the magnet of LOVE!”
Therefore, “Be a center of love; a sum of love, a world of love, a universe of love! Ah me, hast thou love? Then thy power is irresistible!” (Investigate – 1-800-22unite)
