Our Wedding Picture
Our American idea of love is generally the romantic type of love. The definition of love I refer to with my students daily is “willing the good of another” by Bishop Robert Barron. On my wedding day my dad was interviewed by the wedding videographer. My dad said, that if we only thought of the other person we would both always be taken care of. We just need to think of the other first and put his/her needs first. Then, my dad said, we would have a successful marriage. This idea can be transferred to every person and every type of love. Love is by nature selfless. It is not about self, it is about the good of another. Consider the person or people you love most in your life. Would you lay your life down for that person? Would you take a call in the middle of the night and listen to him/her poor out his/her heart to you? Would you go in a snowstorm to rescue her from a house that had no electricity? Would you do anything to help him in his hour of need? IF you are willing to act for the good of that person before your own creature comforts, that is love.
Being infatuated, feeling the butterflies in your belly, feeling shy, and happy all at the same time, wanting to be around that person 24/7 is not love. That feeling is being rewarded constantly to a pleasure that fills you. It’s an intense place to be in life but that is not living selflessly for the other. It could lead to that, many times it does. Romantic love is intoxicating, emotional, and wrought with raw feelings and euphoria. True love stands the test of time, forms a mutual relationship of goodness and true concern for the good of the other.
Today, consider who you truly love and if you are truly love them daily. If you are not you can change that right now by putting their needs first on this Valentine’s Day.
