Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Unconditional Love ...

I've been spending time reflecting on what love is. There are many forms of love. In the English language we have one word for love. It doesn't suffice for the many kinds of love that one experiences. I love how Ancient Greek has four words for love: eros (passionate/romantic love), philea (friendship love), storge (family love), agape (unconditional love).

My spirit and my soul are drawn to the word agape -- unconditional love. With some serious health challenges over the past couple years I have found myself reflecting a lot on life, on what my purpose on life is, what matters to me ... ironically, I believe that my health challenges are a blessing. Yes, i'm only 46 years old and on top of other health issues I have recently been told I have a rare heart disease; a degenerative heart disease with a not so good prognosis. My therapist asked me 'So how am I dealing with it? How am I feeling about it? Where am I carrying or holding all the emotions?' I strive, on a daily basis, to find and experience peace. For me peace arrives when I can not only love myself, but love others, without condition, without expectation, without strings attached. Truth is, I find peace when I surrender to God, to my Higher Power, to the Divine Being and energy.

I pray that I can simply live my life in loving service. I am grateful for the many loving souls who have crossed my path and who walk this journey with me as I listen to the calling in my heart to make this world a better place for the animals. I cherish the many forms of love that I receive.

The following poem speaks deeply to me and is such a beautiful reminder to me of how I want to live my life.


Love without condition
by Sandy Stevenson

I love you as you are, as you seek to find your own special way to relate to the world. I honour your choices to learn in the way you feel is right for you.

I know it is important that you are the person you want to be and not someone that I or others think you 'should' be. I realise that I cannot know what is best for you, although perhaps sometimes I think I do. I have not been where you have been, viewing life from the angle you have. I do not know what you have chosen to learn, how you have chosen to learn it, with whom or in what time period. I have not walked life looking through your eyes, so how can I know what you need.

I allow you to be in the world without a thought or word of judgement from me about the deeds you undertake. I see no error in the things you say and do. In this place where I am, I see that there are many ways to perceive and experience the different facets of our world. I allow without reservation the choices you make in each moment. I make no judgement of this, for if I would deny your right to your evolution, then I would deny that right for myself and all others.

To those who would choose a way I cannot walk, whilst I may not choose to add my power and my energy to this way, I will never deny you the gift of love that God has bestowed within me, for all creation. As I love you, so I shall be loved. As I sow, so shall I reap.

I allow you the universal right of free will to walk your own path, creating steps or to sit awhile if that is what is right for you. I will make no judgement that these steps are large or small, nor light or heavy or that they lead up or down, for this is just my viewpoint. I may see you do nothing and judge it to be unworthy and yet it may be that you bring great healing as you stand blessed by the Light of God. I cannot always see the higher picture of Divine order.

For it is the inalienable right of all life to choose their own evolution and with great love I acknowledge your right to determine your future. In humility I bow to the realisation that the way I see as best for me does not have to mean it is also right for you. I know that you are led as I am, following the inner excitement to know your own path.

I know that the many races, religions, customs, nationalities and beliefs within our world, bring us great richness and allow us the benefit and teachings of such diverseness. I know we each learn in our own unique way in order to bring that love and wisdom back to the whole. I know that if there were only one way to do something, there would need only be one person.

I will not only love you if you behave in a way I think you should or believe in those things I believe in. I understand you are truly my brother and my sister, though you may have been born in a different place and believe in another God than I.

The love I feel is for all of God's world. I know that every living thing is a part of God and I feel a love deep within for every person, animal, tree and flower, every bird, insect, river and ocean and for all the creatures in all the world.

I live my life in loving service, being the best me I can, becoming wiser in the perfection of Divine truth, becoming happier in the joy of

Unconditional Love

Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue -
this woman exemplifies what unconditional love is
as she continues to work tirelessly for
abandoned, abused and neglected animals.


No comments:

Post a Comment