What is love? It can be many things. I have spent a lot of time contemplating this concept. It seems simple, however, the subject of love is varied and has many nuances. It is like a fine glass of wine to be savored, taking in the aroma and all of its spices and subtle notes. Allowing the flavor to dance on your lips and finally taking it all in and allowing it to become a part of you. This dance of love is a beautiful if not complicated one.

In the famous Love Story there is the well-known statement that love is never having to say you are sorry. I wrestled with this one. I could see on the surface where this was true because in loving we are forgiving and accepting of another and unfortunately as much as we do not intend to, we do invariably end up hurting the ones we love. It is not so much HAVING to say we are sorry as much as WANTING to say we are sorry. If we truly love, we will see where we have wounded the one we love and desire to heal this wound. This can only be done in humbleness as we hold our loved ones heart in our hands and simply say I am sorry. I did not handle your heart as carefully as I should have, please trust me to hold it again and in so doing I will protect it with my entire being.

Love can take us to unexpected places. It is an adventure! Love will cause us to have great courage and strength. It propels us to want to know more, to feel more, it brings out the best in us. Once love captures us we are forever changed. It is like a tree that is planted and begins to spread it roots. It digs in seeking spaces to strengthen its foundation and become stronger. It breathes and grows. Its branches stretch reaching for the sunlight and the leaves drink in the warmth. New seasons come and the leaves that were once there are now fallen and the tree seemingly barren is now looking for new beginnings which sprout new buds and as this new beginning is tended to, the tree continues to breathe and sway with the wind. Its strength lies in its ability to bend and breathe and wait in patience for the new, where something greater and more beautiful than what was before can be born.

Love is being inexplicably beautifully you and knowing that you are accepted for all your unique qualities. Love is seeing with new eyes the treasure that lies in front of you. Love allows for growth and even demands it for without growth love cannot survive. It can never be stagnant for it will shrivel up and die from lack of nurturing. There is a comfort about love. There are no excuses necessary for you are unabashedly accepted, it is like coming home. Being passionate and unashamed for it. No excuses. All bets are off. Love causes us to want to dance and sing. Our hearts beat faster and harder when we are in love. Love causes us to break the rules, the old molds of what we once believed and knew to be true. Love literally breathes new life into us. We are called to love. Without it we cannot be whole, we are the wayward seed blowing in the wind, seeking a home.

To love is God’s greatest commandment. In Corinthians we are told…Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. This is what God offers us and we in turn aspire to give and receive in this manner. When we find this manner of love we are truly blessed. It is an inexpressible feeling. One of great comfort, of being whole where our entire being expands and contracts. Love brings us great joy and also great sorrow. It is a risk. One well worth taking.