This is a story about love. A simple four-letter word that evokes powerful emotion no matter the place, the kingdom, or time. I’ve known love, seen love, and longed for love. I’ve cried tears of happiness and tears of joy for love. I’ve cried tears of anger and tears of excitement due to love. I’ve lived with and lived without love on numerous occasions. The beauty of love has been my source of strength as well as my source of shelter any time of year, day or night.
Love has been sung, love has been written, and love has been acted on stage and in film. Love is all around us. Love is a universal emotion that transcends boundaries and cultures. It is a force that can be found in every corner of the world, in every living being, and in every aspect of our lives. Love is not limited to romantic relationships; it can be seen in the bonds between family members, friends, and strangers as well.
In recent weeks, I’ve been thinking about the presence and importance of love in my life. The simple realization that love is everywhere and manifests itself in a variety of forms, fascinates me.
One of my earliest encounters with love occurred when I was about eight years old. I knew mom and dad cared deeply for one another. Dad worked hard at his business every day and mom worked tirelessly at her home salon, washed clothes for the entire family, prepared meals, cleaned house, attended school functions, shopped for groceries, and kept seven children going in the right direction.
One day, dad came home for lunch, unexpectedly. Mom prepared a quick and delicious meal. Then, just before he left, they kissed. Right in front of me. That was the first time I ever witnessed a tender exchange of affection between the two people I cared about most in the world.
Love in nature happens all the time, especially when animals display affection and care toward their young. When local news stations broadcast recorded video of bald eagles hatching, feeding, and caring for their young, to ensure the chicks survival, that’s love in the animal world. In the early 1960s, I remember how our neighbor’s dog fiercely protected her newborn puppies from harm whenever strangers touched and reached for her whimpering dependents. It was a reminder that love is not exclusive to humans. Love is a fundamental aspect of life.
This year, I lost two loves in my life. My two best friends. Many people have at least one best friend in a lifetime, but I was blessed to have two. My friends died forty-four days apart. Each day, I learn the power of love every time I reach for the phone to call one of my friends, neither of whom is still alive. In therapy, I’ve learned that love can cause you to soar, and love can bring you down. My friend’s deaths opened my eyes to the importance of small gestures and acts of kindness and compassion. The love I shared with them supported a mutual need we had for connecting and belonging. The loyalty, trust, and willingness to be present for one another was driven by love.
Love can be seen in simple acts of kindness. Mom and dad volunteered their time and energy to those less fortunate all the time. When I was a child, we learned to share what we had –
even when we had very little. One stranger helping another in need, a smile exchanged between two people on the street, or a charitable donation to a homeless shelter are all expressions of love. These acts remind us that love is not limited to personal relationships but can and should be extended to anyone we encounter in our daily lives. It feels good.
Now, at seventy-one years of age, I realize that love is a powerful force permeating every aspect of my life. I found love with my family, in nature, in relationships with others, and in acts of kindness and compassion. I now understand that love is a universal emotion connecting all human beings.
I’m driven to believe that if I do more to recognize and embrace the love that surrounds me, I can then do my part to help create a more loving and less divisive world.
It's not always easy putting love first, but when I open my heart and my mind to its presence, love seems to always find a way.
*IF WE ONLY HAVE LOVE (Quand On N’a Que l’Amour) by Jacque Brel, 1957
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