I have always felt that when you love someone, that love will remain, even though there may be times when you don't like that person very well. At least, you don't like their behavior.
This was very eloquent and poignant. I was reminded that in the US a person cannot be forced to testify against their spouse; the bond of love is protected against that type of betrayal.
In sum: love is a choice; it's a decision you make. Love is a selfless gift you give freely to those who deserve it. Love is an action, something you can choose to do, and it takes energy and work because sometimes it's hard to do. Hence, love is a skill that you can hone and improve. The reward for loving someone is the life you earn because of it.
___________
It occurs to me that forgiveness is the ultimate demonstration of love. Of course you can't expect people to be perfect and perfectly lovable all the time. We are all imperfect, fallible, and we make mistakes to boot!
We have to forgive ourselves and each other for our fallibilities, otherwise we create an endless chain of pain and suffering, which can be stopped simply by letting go—forgiving, and letting go.
___________
People love in imperfect ways because people are imperfect. But love should be treasured and nurtured because it can grow over time and fill you and others with more love. Love begets love. More love means more kindness to share with the world. More kindness means more happiness. More happiness means more peace.
So, lovely, your comment on "Why We Write and Why We Don't" at https://marytabor.substack.com/p/why-we-write-and-why-we-dont-lesson
that brought me to this page. We so agree about risk and love. As I quote philosopher Edmund Jabés, "There is no writing without risk" and there is no love without risk--or as you put it, no living without risk. I also love our discussion of all caps ART that followed your guest post here: https://marytabor.substack.com/p/the-art-of-the-screenplay. xo
I have always felt that when you love someone, that love will remain, even though there may be times when you don't like that person very well. At least, you don't like their behavior.
This was very eloquent and poignant. I was reminded that in the US a person cannot be forced to testify against their spouse; the bond of love is protected against that type of betrayal.
One of my favorite writers on Substack, Michael Wolf, also wrote about love, from his actual experience: https://70yearswtf.substack.com/p/some-things-ive-learned-about-love-16-10-05
In sum: love is a choice; it's a decision you make. Love is a selfless gift you give freely to those who deserve it. Love is an action, something you can choose to do, and it takes energy and work because sometimes it's hard to do. Hence, love is a skill that you can hone and improve. The reward for loving someone is the life you earn because of it.
___________
It occurs to me that forgiveness is the ultimate demonstration of love. Of course you can't expect people to be perfect and perfectly lovable all the time. We are all imperfect, fallible, and we make mistakes to boot!
We have to forgive ourselves and each other for our fallibilities, otherwise we create an endless chain of pain and suffering, which can be stopped simply by letting go—forgiving, and letting go.
___________
People love in imperfect ways because people are imperfect. But love should be treasured and nurtured because it can grow over time and fill you and others with more love. Love begets love. More love means more kindness to share with the world. More kindness means more happiness. More happiness means more peace.