Let's Love More

I can't sleep when I feel inspired, and I guess maybe that's a good thing because it forces me to write--something that I simply don't do enough.  I promised a dear friend the other day that I would start writing more because she had inspired me to. We used to spend hours reading what the other had written in high school. It served as an escape for us both. and yet, somehow throughout the years, I convinced myself to stop. Now I don't know that it was a conscious decision, but it was a decision that was easily made manifest in my actions. I don't write like I used to. And I miss it. It's quite cathartic to write about what I'm feeling- even if it feels stupid later. There's a power in giving my feelings a voice, in attributing language to the emotions that are most deeply felt, and most difficult to describe. It's empowering to see my thoughts come to life visually even when to someone else it likely just looks like word vomit. HA.

I honestly believe that God gives talent liberally. He endowed each person on earth with special gifts to offer the world. I know that's true. The challenge sometimes is just to identify what they are. However, that's not necessarily the case for me. That's not to say that I have undiscovered talents (because let's face it, we probably all do), but I do know a few talents that I've been given. My challenge comes in knowing what the heck to do with them. I want to put more good in the world. I want to use the talents that I have to produce love and to inspire other people to be their very best selves. But that's a challenge that I face every day. I don't always know how to be my very best self, so what on earth gives me the right or know-how to inspire others to be their very best selves? Honestly, nothing does. But I'm gonna try my hardest throughout my life to do it anyway.

It starts with self love, self respect, and a form of confidence in myself that allows me to believe that I can make a difference for other people. But to be quite frank, those feelings do not come naturally to me. I've had to fight hard for the love that I have for myself. I've had to confront both inner and outer demons that have tried to wreck my spirit time and time again throughout my life. I still confront those demons. Truth be told, they will likely never be totally gone. If I want to love myself, and believe in myself, that's something that I have to make a conscious decision to do every day.  But it's what I hope for most in this world.

I wish that people could love themselves. I wish that they could love themselves in the way that they want others to love them. I wish that they loved themselves so much that vulgarity would repulse them, and that saying ill-willed words to others was unimaginable. I wish that people could love themselves because once they love themselves, it's easier to love others too. I wish that people led their lives with love rather than feeling the need to live on the defensive. This world produces far too much vulgarity, division, and hatred.  We need more love. The world needs to know love without bounds. This world needs to know compassion, forgiveness, honesty, and genuine kindness for all people, everywhere. The world needs to know God, and to love God because it it truly impossible to love God and to hate others.

To be fair, though, I have never personally met anyone that can love that perfectly. I don't understand it, but I know that God's love for me is perfect, even when the love I reciprocate never can be. I know that even though he loves all people perfectly, that I can't. I'm honestly just not capable. But I believe with everything in my soul that the more I can love God, the more that love will just pour from me to others.  And I need practice. I'll need a lifetime of practice. And so will everyone else. But that's why we need to have more love for others. That's why we need to be more patient with others and their shortcomings. Let's face it, shortcomings are frustrating, but in all fairness, shortcomings are probably for frustrating for the people that are coming short. So let's be kind. Let's be patient. And let's lead with love. If we can do that, much of the heartache that we may cause others may be spared simply by being consciously considerate and kind. We may not realize it, but we are surrounded by precious, fragile souls. We ourselves are precious, fragile souls. Let's work a little harder to love a little more and protect each other. As they say, what goes around comes around. So as we protect others, we in turn will be protected. And I honestly couldn't be tasked a greater task than to take care of the people that I love most and to have them take care of me. Life is truly so much more beautiful when it's lived in love.