Life is a four letter word – I think you spell it L-O-V-E

Morning all,

Today's topic….is sacrifice.

To be more precise, *your* sacrifice.

In other words…

Being weak to help out the people you love, even when your ego and self-preservation scream at you, don't be vulnerable!

Sometimes, I really and truly wish I could shed my dozen or so guardian roles and simply be your typical selfish individual.

My life would be ever so much easier!!

But….to those who have been given much, much is demanded.

So I guess I have no concrete justification to whine.

WAH!

But I digress.  🙂

Long long ago, back before the earth's crust cooled…..

and when the only cookies you saw were in supermarkets and not in your computer, I read the following poem.

We're talking beyond the dawn of time here – it was 1985, my junior year.

It has stayed with me to this day, touched me to this day, and most importantly, has given me comfort on this day.

And it's this.

Life is a four letter word……..
I think you spell it L-O-V-E

It’s really as simple as that……

No, I don’t really think that I can totally describe love
but I do know some things about it.

Seems to me that in order
to be in love, you have to be
able to be weak.

Sure, certain aspects of love
take a real strength.

But, it is true
that in order to experience love at its
best, you have to be able to be weak,
vulnerable and accept the possibility
that you might get hurt.

If you are too tough to let yourself be so
open for attack, then I am afraid you
can never feel love to its fullest.

Is it worth it to take such a risk?

I don’t know the answer to that….
but I do know that even though I have
gotten hurt occasionally, I would do it
all over again. The Joys were more
memorable than the pain.

Actually, most of the times that I ended
up hurt were not because I left myself
vulnerable, but rather that my stupidity
tricked me into arming myself against
“the one I loved”, so that she couldn’t hurt
me.   Once I let myself take the defensive,
I usually ended up causing more problems
than I solved.

What should a person do?

Should a person be tougher and more
protective of themselves even though
they take away from the full effect of love….
Or should you be more vulnerable and
weak and open to possible attack….

I am WEAK!

Not because
I choose to be this way….
but rather because in all honesty,
I know no other way.

I am weak….I sometimes get hurt….
but I have felt love….

-JT

Over 25 years it’s been since I first read those words (and JT, if you’re on the Internet still, drop me a line!)….and its magic still stays with me today.

I truly believe that love makes the world go 'round. 

And I'm not just talking romantic love (although that rocks too!), I'm talking about your soul-friends, your family, the people whose presence in your life simply make you realize:

Indeed, I'm lucky to have it all.  Even when it hurts so very much every now and then.

To all the people who have touched my heart – I am grateful beyond words that you're in my life. 

Sure, we can all be invulnerable and rock-hard and steady and the like….but friends, soul mates, loved ones and the like are really what makes your life worth living.

And my life is wondrous beyond belief because of these people.  

Words really cannot express it….but….the heart knows.

Grow strong,

Barbara Ling

ps – the below video speaks to me most wonderfully about the whole idea.