So, besides the fact that I’ve been a slacker and haven’t written, several interesting items have walked through my life in the past weeks. Plus, it is now 2:15 AM, so I’m not sure how much sense this will make; oh, well, here goes.
We are capable of holding lots of love. That sounds cheep, but here is what I mean. Have you ever heard that phrase/philosophy “guys are like waffles and girls are like spaghetti?” It’s supposed to be some sort of attempt to explain how and why men and women think and act so differently. I have to differ with this theory; it seems to limit rather than illuminate the possible workings of the minds between the sexes. There are so many people, men and women alike, who have limited themselves to one kind of love, or one concept learned early on in our lives. We set ourselves so firmly within the bounds of what love “should feel/be like” that we miss out on entirely new, deep, and fulfilling experiences of love.
We have to expand our understanding. Before my various and sparse readers begin to get concerned as to what kind of love I could be referring to, let me clarify. Love has many faces and levels, each of which has its own level of personal fulfillment. I have 2 beautiful nephews who lavish me with hugs, kisses, giggles, and boogers when I visit them (yes, boogers! they are little boys, what do you expect?!). I also have a handful of close girl friends with whom I share all sorts of crazy girl emotions, cooking fiascoes, road trips, family pains, and late-night “therapy” sessions. I have been fortunate to have several close friendships with guys as well, and we enjoy plenty of fun and noise (usually involving an action movie or an episode of “Psych”!) as well as intriguing and probing conversations. When we are all together, things get crazy! Popcorn and mini-marshmallows fly and we have actually received complaints from our neighbors that we were singing and laughing too loudly (shocker!)
I have bonded with every one of them, deeply. I cannot say that I feel more satisfied when I am with one group of friends or family than another; every one of those relationships is dear to me, unique, but connected as an integral part of me – like spaghetti. One cannot take the place of the other, fulfilling that special place in me, in our lives together.
The beauty of it is, God’s plan was for this interrelated need. I see Him in our lives together, I hear Him tugging at me in our conversations, using his words, my struggles, her questions and our findings to draw us deeper into relationship with Him. His love for us, His knowledge and beauty are over, underneath, inside of us, coming through His creations. As the Psalms remind us, all creation shouts of His power and might; and we are His most wonderful creations! He didn’t make us to compartmentalise our hearts and emotions, avoiding depth of comitment and understanding in different relationships.
God’s love is bigger than our shallow definition! There are so many more ways that we can experience His love in our lives. In fact, I challenge you/me/us to open up to the love that He is trying to pour out right now, today, this moment! Love is not limited by our dim understanding that is skewed by our sex-driven culture and society! Open up to the love that is found in close friendships, children’s chubby hugs, the weathered hand and smile of a grandfather or grandmother, the tearful gratitude of a “less deserving/questionable” stranger.
D.C. Talk said it! “Love is a verb!”
