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There are
times when we are timid and shy about expressing the love we
feel. For fear of embarrassing the other person, or
ourselves, we hesitate to say the actual words "I love you."
So we try to communicate the idea in other words.
We say 'take care' or 'don't drive too fast' or 'be good.'
But really, these are just other ways of saying 'I love
you,' 'you are important to me,' 'I care what happens to
you,' 'I don't want you to get hurt.'
We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want
to say, and the one thing that we should say, is the one
thing we don't say. And yet, because the feeling is so real,
and the need to say it is so strong, we are driven to use
other words and signs to say what we really mean. And many
times the meaning never gets communicated at all and the
other person is left feeling unloved and unwanted.
Therefore, we have to LISTEN FOR LOVE in the words that
people are saying to us. Sometimes the explicit words are
necessary, but more often, the manner of saying things is
even more important. A joyous insult carries more affection
and love within the sentiments which are expressed
insincerely.
An impulsive hug says I LOVE YOU even though the words might
be saying very different.
Any expression of a person's concern for another says I love
you. Sometimes the expression is clumsy, sometimes even
cruel. Sometimes we must look and listen very intently for
the love that contains. But it is often there, beneath the
surface.
A mother may nag her son constantly about his grades or
cleaning his room. The son may hear only the nagging, but if
he listens carefully, he will hear the love underneath the
nagging. His mother wants him to do well, to be successful.
Her concern and love for her son unfortunately emerge in her
nagging. But it is love all the same.
A daughter comes home way past her curfew, and her father
confronts her with angry words. The daughter may hear only
the anger, but if she listen carefully, she will hear the
love under the anger. "I was worried about you," the father
is saying. 'Because I care about you and I love you. You are
important to me.'
We say I love you in many ways - with birthday gifts, and
little notes, with smiles and sometimes with tears.
Sometimes we show our love by just keeping quiet and not
saying a word, at other times by speaking out, even
brusquely. We show our love sometimes by impulsiveness. Many
times we have to show our love by forgiving someone who has
not listened to the love we have tried to express.
The problem in listening for love is that we don't always
understand the language of love which the other person is
using. A girl may use tears or emotions to say what she
wants to say, and her boyfriend may not understand her
because he expects her to be talking his language. Thus, we
have to force ourselves to really listen for love.
The problem with our world is that people rarely listen to
each other. They hear the words, but they don't listen to
the actions that accompany the words or the expression on
the face. Or people listen only for rejection or
misunderstanding. They do not see the love that is there
just beneath the surface, even if the words are angry. We
have to listen for love in those around us.
If we listen intently we will discover that we are a lot
more loved than we realize. Listen for love and we will find
that the world is a very loving place, after all.
LOVE is a happy thing.
It makes us laugh.
It makes us sing.
It makes us sad.
It makes us cry.
It makes us seek the reason why.
It makes us take.
It makes us give.
Above all else it makes us LIVE.
It is not the presence or absence of people that makes the
difference because a person need not be lonely even if he is
alone. Sometimes it is good to be alone. But that does not
make us lonely. It is not a matter of being present WITH
someone. It is a matter of being present TO someone.
So remember...If you love someone, tell them. Remember
always to say what you mean. Never be afraid to express
yourself. Take this opportunity to tell someone what they
mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets.
Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for
they have helped make you the person that you are today and
are what it's all about anyway. |
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