“What a man desires is unfailing love” Prov. 19:22
Just today I heard and read multiple comments expressing
hurt, frustration, and loneliness. The causes of these feelings probably vary,
but I found one thing to be in common with each life- a lack of care and love.
For me, today was hard- just one of those days where, inside
and out, nothing is easy. But- there were moments and people that “made my
day”, as is casual to say. It’s a cliché, but it has truth nonetheless. Those
people made my day okay, bearable, and in the end, actually enjoyable. Even
through the pain.
What comes to mind specifically are certain conversations
that went deeper than a “hi” or simple talk about a math class. Certain people
who stuck around longer and paid attention more; people who gave up their own
time, whether aware of it or not, to share it with me. Like one who, on my walk
back to the Cranbrook campus from Kingswood, not only waited for me, but also
walked with me all the way. It may seem simple, overlooked, possibly somewhat silly
to point out, but it meant more and was timelier than they may have known.
It seems obvious to say: love, care, share, etc. And,
perhaps it’s said too much, used too much, even by me. No matter how many times
it’s stated however, I don’t think it looses its sense of immediacy and
necessity.
In another light, on the road to trying to love and care for
others more, I have caught myself suddenly trying to love the world, and every
single person in it. Impossible. Rather, going deep with someone means much
more than staying shallow with many people. Both in their life, and I believe,
in yours. By going deep, I mean really committing to giving to that person. Giving
anything, everything.
Through many experiences, I have realized (mind you it’s a
realization not easy to stay faithful to) that you don’t need to get attention,
just give attention. I suppose you could connect it to selflessness. Easy? No.
Rewarding? Incredibly.
Selflessness. Giving. Loving. Life is so much more than
books, than classes, than me. How much
of myself can I give away so that when I do struggle with something, maybe such
as pride, there will be less of me to deal with?
What a man desires is love. For unfailing love, we have to
look above. But what is more important when living and growing with others than
love? It changes an outlook. It changes a day. It changes circumstances. It
changes people.
Yet, for those of us hurting…
The road is two ways. And perhaps, this is the more intimidating
side.
“What a man desires is unfailing love”
If we desire love, yet we don’t know how to accept it, how
will we ever really know what love is?
Someone sits down next to you and asks how you are, and you
say “fine” just to get them off your case. Why is this?
Is it considered a failure to be weak? Is it the audience’s
fault for potentially passing judgment? Is it the world’s fault for creating an
environment where weak is worst?
Love isn’t always found in strength. In fact, most times
love comes out of weakness. If we can’t accept, share, admit, or be open about
our weaknesses, how can we then know true
love? And not true love relating to ourselves, but true love in relation with
others.
That bond, that love, born out of weakness and formed
between people, is that possibly the love that we each desire? Yet often are
too scared to reach for?
Speaking not to answer questions, but to raise them.
