Have you ever asked yourself if we truly know what Love is anymore? We use the word so freely to describe how we feel, but with rising levels of poor mental and physical health, bullying, domestic violence and suicide, is it possible that we are living far from truly ‘loving’ relationships and, therefore, need to revisit that word which founds so much of who we are, that we profess to be or want to have in our lives?
The sense of space afforded by Love is seen in action when a baby is born; the fragility of this new life is felt by everyone and anyone who comes into contact with them. People purposefully bring more care to how they move, the noises they make, how they touch the baby, and even how they prepare the space for the baby to be in. An argument or tension stands out like a sore thumb around a baby. The sense of Love around a baby is unimposing, it ‘just is’ and it is on offer for others to embrace or not. No attachment either way.
In this space, where Love is so clearly being shared with another, quality is everything.
When there is a lack of Love, it can look, sound and feel very different. There is likely to be more tension, and we can feel unhappy, colours can appear less vibrant, movements can be harsh, noises louder, clashing and banging of doors and cupboards with less attention paid to how something is done – rather, 'just get it done'. Put-up and shut-up attitudes abound.
There is a sense of emptiness, a searching for something to fill that emptiness, a neediness and a demand for attention or stimulation.
Arguments don’t always stand out in this space, they seem 'normal'.
So, which version of love do we want in our life? Which version of love would we like to be around? Which would we like to be our 'normal'?
Love is very simple. If we place less emphasis on everything outside of ourselves and what is wrong with the world and bring our focus back to how we are living, how we are expressing and the ripple effect of that for those around us, then life stays really simple.
We may struggle with knowing what Love is, but we can certainly feel what love is not.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
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