The Jesuits are the society of Catholics whom I just adore. Jesuits are so involved in social justice for the poor, and they really show love toward others regardless of whether the others agree with the Jesuit way of thinking. My colleague has a quote on her desk...I don't know the quote verbatim but the jist of it is to live in love and not in fear. I read this quote when Mike was sick and it clicked. I had been living in fear which was why I was so stressed taking care of him...when I started living in love I began to really see life through his eyes...isn't that called empathy?
When we are pulled to judgement, let's take a step back and live in love for a second. Judgement is fear. Let's live in love...how do we address issues in a non-judging way, living in love and not in fear? Fear is assigning some sort of right/wrong, some sort of "well, but such and such shouldn't have occurred..." Well...it did occur and how do we address it?
Living in love feels a lot different than living in fear. It is less angry. It blames less. The toxic emotions of judgement are just not present when one chooses to live in love. Instead, the heart feels fuller, accepting, happy...when we just open our heart a whole new way of seeing the world appears.
I speak from experience. Losing Mike, I could live in fear all I want. I could walk away from the love that has been bestowed upon me and sleep all day long for many days. I could become cold and bitter. Instead, I recognize the love that is being given to me and I hope to embrace this love, for it is the fear that could be the detriment to me.
Live in love...not fear.
1 comment:
Wow. I love this Melanie. It is so powerful to acknowledge the way we live....in fear or in love.
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