The definition of love according to the dictionary--- the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.
I like to contemplate things in the morning when I wake up. This week has been hard, Father's Day came as it always does and I found myself being extremely sad this year, missing my father terribly even though he has been gone for a few years. So I wrote a post about him, writing helps me get out my emotions. This morning I realized the greatest gift my Father gave me was the example of generosity, of giving to others without regarding the cost.
One of the things I have seen and I love about this country I live in, the United States, is that when there is a crisis a person can see giving at its best. I remember after 9/11 there were so many needs and one of them was for people to donate blood. On my break from work I went downtown to donate blood, the line was so long that it wound down around the corner. It consumed my hour long break, but I do not think I have ever minded waiting less than I did that day. It made me feel good inside to be able to help. There is something about giving that blesses a person, it makes no logical sense in a world where when we receive something we are happy. But the greatest gift we can give or receive is love. Somehow when we pour love out we receive something back, something we cannot begin to understand, but can feel in our hearts. It is the greatest sense of well being inside of us to love others.
Just yesterday I called a friend on the phone, he lives in another country where there is dangerous flooding near the area where he lives. I told him that I and another friend of his were concerned for him, he assured me that he was o.k.. Later on he got online and told him how much it had meant to him that I had cared to call and express my concern for him. I don't think I can adequately express how good that made me feel, to think that one simple phone call could bless another person. Such a small thing but do not despise the day of small things because wonderful and great things can come from the small things in life, the seemingly inconsequential things, the little things matter.
Love is alive, it is a living growing thing, it is the little things in life that add up. It is the attention one gives that makes it thrive and grow. Just like a plant, if you disregard it, eventually it will wither up and die from lack of attention. Love needs to be cultivated in our own hearts and I believe the only way to do this is by giving love away, freely giving, without regard to the cost, without fear, but in joy and abandonment.
There is a saying, "The love in our hearts wasn't put there to stay, for love
isn't love until you give it away."By the very definition of love it cannot be love until it is given to another. The greatest reward that you will ever receive in this life is from the giving of love. From the song The Rose, one little verse in particular says it all---- I say love, it is a flower, and you it's only seed.
The Writing On The Wall
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
My Father, Joseph
My father was a carpenter by trade. After he and my mother were married he built our house, it started out smaller and as my mother had children he kept adding on.
The things I remember about my father were all of the small things in life that added up to the big things. I remember winning the 4th grade spelling bee, my father folded the certificate and tucked it in his wallet. I remember seeing him take it out of his wallet and show it off and I knew my father was proud of me.
I remember when I was losing my baby teeth my dad tied a string around my loose tooth and used that string to pull it out. I remember getting sick, my mother couldn't get me to take my medicine, so my father came to the rescue and bribed me with fifty cents to take it. I remember him putting me up on the picnic table to give me a hair cut. He put a bowl on my head and cut around the bottom of the bowl, granted I looked like the little Dutch boy, but what did I know, I knew my father was there for me.
My father was a character, very social, gregarious and funny, people liked my father, most everybody except the self righteous. My dad got in a tangle with one of the leading townspeople in our town over something that was unjust. She, seeking to calm my father down said, "Mr. Glaude, don't upset the apple cart," to which my father replied, "If there's a rotten apple in it I will upset the whole goddamn cart," one of the few times in my life I heard my father swear. He hated injustice and he dd not like to see people being treated unfairly.
My father was generous, many times he invited others to our home to eat supper with us. My mother never complained, she just cooked extra. My father would give the shirt off his own back to help someone else with no regards to the thought it was taking anything away from him.
He thought my mother was the most gorgeous woman alive and would always try to kiss her in front of us. My mother was quite modest and would say, "not in front of the children," but my dad would always get that kiss.
I remember my first bicycle ride, there were no training wheels, it was quite iffy, my father waited in our driveway as I rode past the big maples and turned into the driveway, sure enough I ditched my bike and fell, daddy was there to pick me up and dust me off.
My father loved music, when he was a child he asked his own parents for a guitar for Christmas and he got it, he taught himself to play. He had a band called Little Joe and the Country Boys and they played a lot of shows, generally my brothers and I went to all of them and would fall asleep in the backseat of the car on the way home. My most favorite memories of my father was of him sitting at our kitchen table, playing his guitar and singing, he would make up silly songs and put our names in them.
I found this song by Eddie Vedder, it's called The Man of the Hour. When I listened to it I wept because I felt it was a perfect description of my father. My father took his final bow in December 2003. Everything about my father still lives in my heart, his generosity, his kindness and his care about others. These are the things I remember the most and his love for us, his family.
"Man Of The Hour"
The things I remember about my father were all of the small things in life that added up to the big things. I remember winning the 4th grade spelling bee, my father folded the certificate and tucked it in his wallet. I remember seeing him take it out of his wallet and show it off and I knew my father was proud of me.
I remember when I was losing my baby teeth my dad tied a string around my loose tooth and used that string to pull it out. I remember getting sick, my mother couldn't get me to take my medicine, so my father came to the rescue and bribed me with fifty cents to take it. I remember him putting me up on the picnic table to give me a hair cut. He put a bowl on my head and cut around the bottom of the bowl, granted I looked like the little Dutch boy, but what did I know, I knew my father was there for me.
My father was a character, very social, gregarious and funny, people liked my father, most everybody except the self righteous. My dad got in a tangle with one of the leading townspeople in our town over something that was unjust. She, seeking to calm my father down said, "Mr. Glaude, don't upset the apple cart," to which my father replied, "If there's a rotten apple in it I will upset the whole goddamn cart," one of the few times in my life I heard my father swear. He hated injustice and he dd not like to see people being treated unfairly.
My father was generous, many times he invited others to our home to eat supper with us. My mother never complained, she just cooked extra. My father would give the shirt off his own back to help someone else with no regards to the thought it was taking anything away from him.
He thought my mother was the most gorgeous woman alive and would always try to kiss her in front of us. My mother was quite modest and would say, "not in front of the children," but my dad would always get that kiss.
I remember my first bicycle ride, there were no training wheels, it was quite iffy, my father waited in our driveway as I rode past the big maples and turned into the driveway, sure enough I ditched my bike and fell, daddy was there to pick me up and dust me off.
My father loved music, when he was a child he asked his own parents for a guitar for Christmas and he got it, he taught himself to play. He had a band called Little Joe and the Country Boys and they played a lot of shows, generally my brothers and I went to all of them and would fall asleep in the backseat of the car on the way home. My most favorite memories of my father was of him sitting at our kitchen table, playing his guitar and singing, he would make up silly songs and put our names in them.
I found this song by Eddie Vedder, it's called The Man of the Hour. When I listened to it I wept because I felt it was a perfect description of my father. My father took his final bow in December 2003. Everything about my father still lives in my heart, his generosity, his kindness and his care about others. These are the things I remember the most and his love for us, his family.
"Man Of The Hour"
Tidal waves don't beg forgiveness
Crashed and on their way
Father he enjoyed collisions; others walked away
A snowflake falls in may.
And the doors are open now as the bells are ringing out
Cause the man of the hour is taking his final bow
Goodbye for now.
Nature has its own religion; gospel from the land
Father ruled by long division, young men they pretend
Old men comprehend.
And the sky breaks at dawn; shedding light upon this town
They'll all come around
Cause the man of the hour is taking his final bow
G'bye for now.
And the road
The old man paved
The broken seams along the way
The rusted signs, left just for me
He was guiding me, love, his own way
Now the man of the hour is taking his final bow
As the curtain comes down
I feel that this is just g'bye for now
Crashed and on their way
Father he enjoyed collisions; others walked away
A snowflake falls in may.
And the doors are open now as the bells are ringing out
Cause the man of the hour is taking his final bow
Goodbye for now.
Nature has its own religion; gospel from the land
Father ruled by long division, young men they pretend
Old men comprehend.
And the sky breaks at dawn; shedding light upon this town
They'll all come around
Cause the man of the hour is taking his final bow
G'bye for now.
And the road
The old man paved
The broken seams along the way
The rusted signs, left just for me
He was guiding me, love, his own way
Now the man of the hour is taking his final bow
As the curtain comes down
I feel that this is just g'bye for now
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Your Love
Your love is like the sun,
It gives me courage
And helps me to run.
December the 30th.
The day that we met
It's etched on my heart
I will never forget.
I had to see a picture of your hair.
So I threw all caution to the wind
And became your friend
It grew into a love that is rare.
We chatted each day and shared our hearts.
I looked forward to each time
And hated having to part.
Now your love is like the sun,
I bask in its glow.
Deep in my heart there's one thing I know.
You're the only one for me
On this earth, it is true.
I am so much in love with you.
It gives me courage
And helps me to run.
December the 30th.
The day that we met
It's etched on my heart
I will never forget.
I had to see a picture of your hair.
So I threw all caution to the wind
And became your friend
It grew into a love that is rare.
We chatted each day and shared our hearts.
I looked forward to each time
And hated having to part.
Now your love is like the sun,
I bask in its glow.
Deep in my heart there's one thing I know.
You're the only one for me
On this earth, it is true.
I am so much in love with you.
To love someone deeply Gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply Gives you courage.- See more at: http://quotationsbook.com/quote/47395/#sthash.gII80pNf.dpuf
Thursday, June 6, 2013
What Is Being In Love
I used to make fun of the term being "in love." But come to find out there is a difference between loving someone and being "in love" with them. When you're in love with someone you think about that person alot, you want to be with them, there is nobody like them to you.
I know this, when you are in love you will risk everything and no sacrifice will be too great because the the person you're in love with is more important than anything else in this world. You will live anywhere in this world to be with them because there is no home without them. Being with them is the one desire in your heart.
When you're in love you won't worry about what others think, not even your own family. You will never be ashamed of the person you're in love with, never be ashamed to tell others that you love that person.
I was thinking of Edward VIII, he was king of England in 1936, but he fell in love with Wallis Simpson an American socialite who was seeking a divorce. It caused a scandal which would eventually lead Edward to abdicate the throne. He gave up being a king for the woman he was in love with, that's quite a love, to give up being a king.
Many people may love, but very few are in love.
I know this, when you are in love you will risk everything and no sacrifice will be too great because the the person you're in love with is more important than anything else in this world. You will live anywhere in this world to be with them because there is no home without them. Being with them is the one desire in your heart.
When you're in love you won't worry about what others think, not even your own family. You will never be ashamed of the person you're in love with, never be ashamed to tell others that you love that person.
I was thinking of Edward VIII, he was king of England in 1936, but he fell in love with Wallis Simpson an American socialite who was seeking a divorce. It caused a scandal which would eventually lead Edward to abdicate the throne. He gave up being a king for the woman he was in love with, that's quite a love, to give up being a king.
Many people may love, but very few are in love.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
What is Love
I despair of this question, there are no answers. Love has a different meaning to everyone because everyone is different.
I know what love is not, love is not ashamed of loving another, love does not care what others think. If there is shame in your heart about the person you claim to love, you do not love them.
Love is not careless, not caring about the other person's feelings and the things done that hurt another.
Love does not run and hide away when the going gets tough. I saw this first hand in my own family when my Father became incapacitated after a stroke rendered him paralyzed. My Mother faithfully cared for him in spite of the difficulties, she did not run away.
I have no understanding of love, only what I feel in my own heart and what I long for. I have rarely seen love in just about every relationship I have ever witnessed, save a rare few who seem to truly love their partner. These things I have witnessed, the joy that overflows the heart of the one who loves, they cannot contain their love and it overflows on every person around them and blesses the ones who are witnesses to that love. Love builds up the other person, it never tears them down. Love truly cares for the other person, love does not have a careless attitude of, if you don't like it that's too bad, that is not love.
I believe true love, real love has blinders on, there is no temptation to cheat because there is no one who holds the attraction that your loved one holds for you. Faithfulness is not just some moral value, but rather a matter of love that is hidden deep within one's soul.
On every negative side of what love is not becomes the positive side of what love is. I know this for sure, true love is rare, it's like a jewel, very few are lucky enough to find real love in this life.
I know what love is not, love is not ashamed of loving another, love does not care what others think. If there is shame in your heart about the person you claim to love, you do not love them.
Love is not careless, not caring about the other person's feelings and the things done that hurt another.
Love does not run and hide away when the going gets tough. I saw this first hand in my own family when my Father became incapacitated after a stroke rendered him paralyzed. My Mother faithfully cared for him in spite of the difficulties, she did not run away.
I have no understanding of love, only what I feel in my own heart and what I long for. I have rarely seen love in just about every relationship I have ever witnessed, save a rare few who seem to truly love their partner. These things I have witnessed, the joy that overflows the heart of the one who loves, they cannot contain their love and it overflows on every person around them and blesses the ones who are witnesses to that love. Love builds up the other person, it never tears them down. Love truly cares for the other person, love does not have a careless attitude of, if you don't like it that's too bad, that is not love.
I believe true love, real love has blinders on, there is no temptation to cheat because there is no one who holds the attraction that your loved one holds for you. Faithfulness is not just some moral value, but rather a matter of love that is hidden deep within one's soul.
On every negative side of what love is not becomes the positive side of what love is. I know this for sure, true love is rare, it's like a jewel, very few are lucky enough to find real love in this life.
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