Blog 556 – 02.25.2017

The Greatest Love Of All

Yesterday in my blog about why we are so hard on others and ourself I said that I believe there is no hiarchy in love. I have not always thought so. Like many of you I spent a lot of time looking for the great love of my life not realizing it could be found no where else but right in my own heart. Whitney Houston sang in one of her hit songs, “The Greatest Love Of All” that the greatest love of all is to love yourself. A dear friend of mine who has her own blog was talking about her mother, also a long time friend of mine, describing the almost crazy way that her mother loves others. She went on to say she wished that her mother could love herself as much as she loved other people. I have thought that myself and told her so on more than one occasion.

Real love is a trinity – The Universe (God if you prefer), others, and self. You can scramble the order anyway you like but you cannot leave any of the three out including yourself or that becomes a blockage or a problem. Louise Hay, author and publisher, says that most if not all of our problems stem from a lack of love for ourselves – that means problems with health, others, and God. I remember a saying that I heard as a boy, “Love me love my dog.” I got it because even though I love dogs for most of my life I was also afraid of them because I was bitten by one as a lad. But every rock, and tree, and creature comes to life when loved.

I posted a picture with my blog yesterday that was actually two sayings that have a somewhat special meaning to me. The first, the larger painting is a quote from Psalms, “Be still and know that I am God.” It is only in the quiet and stillness of our own heart that we hear that still small voice reminding us Who and Whose we are. There is really only one answer to the eternal question, “Who am I? Lest you think me vague, I will give it to you straight. The answer is, “I am God for I am God’s.” If that is hard for you to hear because of all the noise and voices in your head shouting heresy, sacrilege, apostasy – be still, get quiet and listen for the still small voice from within that you can trust.

Added to the painting is a card I was sent that reads, “In Love We Both Believe That We Are The Lucky One.” There is a lot of talk about what being “In Love” means. To many it means a higher, better, or special love – that hiarchy or ranking thing again. I quoted Jesus’ two great commandments yesterday: “You shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, mind, and strength. And you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.” I got to thinking that is not two commandments but three – love God, love your neighbor, and love yourself. But then it dawned on me it is really only One commandment. One is not as the song say “the loneliest number.” One is the only number. We are One and In Love we believe and know that we are The Lucky One.

So in this month of love, February, I am a simple man with a simple one rule or one commandment to live by – love everything and everybody including yourself and don’t worry about the order. To me that sure beats trying to remember ten “Thou Shalt Nots” and even Ten Intentions For A Better World. And for you religious folks you can just think of it as, “That old time religion that makes me love everybody.” That includes, me, and you, and God in no particular order.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White