Day 5 – I remember a line from an old song that says, “Love is a many splendored thing.” And, I suppose it is. Especially since there are several different kinds of love. We have the kind of love between friends. Then there is the kind of love we have for a pet, and then there is the love we have for a family member, and of course there is the romantic love, which very often gets confused with lust, or a codependent addiction to the other person.
True love, however, means you care about the well-being and spiritual growth of the other person. We cannot really love someone unless we want what is best for them. Anything else is not real love.
Sometimes people say they are falling in love without realizing exactly what they are saying. First of all, if you are falling that probably isn’t a good thing. We sometimes get hurt when we fall, and we can certainly get hurt by falling in love. It happens to many people every day.
Also, when people say they are falling in love it usually means they want to claim the other person. They want to be able to say, “This one is mine. Everyone else stay away.” That isn’t love; that is claiming possession. There is a big difference.
Every now and again someone will say, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and always be there for you.” Now, that sounds a lot more like real love.
Meditation for today: I want to be careful how I use the word love, even in my thoughts. I don’t want to lie to myself about what I am feeling or what I am doing.
Prayer for today: God, help me to love the people in my life, not claim them as my possessions.
Steve Holder 