Love ... A Gift or Dilemma.

We, as humans, seem to spend an inordinate amount of time questioning the why's and wherefore's of love ... the reasons behind it ... is it real ... will it last. Businesses are built on the premise of bringing love together. The music industry, it seems is founded on the lyrical exploration (exploitation?) of love ... from the magical "falling in love" stage and all other variations of it. Love has become an industry.

On top of that, there are so many types of love. The English language does so little to define. This explanation (Link), found on Wikipedia, delves into the various types of love, as defined through exploration of other languages and other means.

In this article (Link), the author expounds the benefits of being single/alone. Only to conclude that perhaps she isn't as alone as she thought. It's cliche, I know, but truly, everyone needs someone.

In one of my e-mail devotions, the topic of love was discussed. (Link) Indeed, there is a cost of loving and making yourself vulnerable. But at the opposite end of the spectrum is coldness and isolation.

C.S. Lewis writes about love:

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully around with hobbies and little luxuries ...lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemmable...The only place outside heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love is hell!"

I have wished sometimes that I could see myself through my beloved's eyes. Sometimes I ponder what is lovable about myself. Especially when it seems that more often than not I am in some hormonal quandary of sorts.

Yet, the question that always seems to provide the answer for me when I am down, and is to what I perpetually return: Isn't love a precious gift? And, wasn't the greatest gift of love given to me by my Heavenly Father?

Perhaps love isn't so very complex at all. The only action required by me is the acceptance of the gift.

Psalm 138
⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
⁸ The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD , endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands.