Love like this

Not long ago, I was having an email conversation with a friend who was going through some heart ache. My friend told me her story then asked for my thoughts, but not before she apologized for whining.

“You’re not whining,” I said. “You’re hurting out loud. You have to listen to your heart on whether or not you want to continue on if this other person finishes their lesson. Listen within to what your spirit tells you is good for you, don’t listen to your desires. Listen to what will be Good For Your Soul.”

My friend always has tremendous compliments about my writing. And after reading my response to her dilemma, she urged me to share what I wrote pointing out that my words were insightful and that I had incredible talent. She oftens tells me things to that effect and even urged me to write a book, something I really have no desire to do. I suppose any intellect or writing ability I have is wasted on me. It hasn’t really brought me joy or benefitted me or anyone else, save a few employers. I sometimes feel bad because I don’t cherish this gift, maybe because it comes so easily to me or maybe because nothing lasts forever, ashes to ashes, even mountains wear away… I’ve never really been able to put it into words well, but I’ve tried to explain it in many different ways. This was my exact response:

“As far as my talent, it’s only talent. It’s like brains, they’re only intellect. And like beauty, it’s only beauty. What matters is the heart, love is what lasts. Talent, intellect, beauty; those things of the body and brain all fade. Love is the only thing that ever lasts.”

For my next explanation, I sent her something I read as poetry, perhaps you’ll recognize it, the original is below the version I created. 

My dearest friend, the real question is how do we get to be filled with Love like this:

If I speak in the tongues
of men or of angels,
but do not have love,
I am only a resounding gong
or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy
and can fathom all mysteries
and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains,
but do not have love,
I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor
and give over my body to hardship
that I may boast,
but do not have love,
I gain nothing.

Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.

Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies,
they will cease;
where there are tongues,
they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge,
it will pass away.
For we know in part
and we prophesy in part,
but when completeness comes,
what is in part disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child,
I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man,
I put the ways of childhood behind me.

For now we see only
a reflection
as in a mirror;
then we shall see
face to face.
Now I know in part;
then I shall know
fully,
even as I am
fully known.

And now these
three remain:
faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these
is love.

At some point, most recognize the above passage as being Bible scripture. Often when I read scripture that’s how it sounds in my head. It’s as if I am reading poetry and must pause in certain places. I broke it up as poetry last year when another friend asked me questions about love. At that point,  I’d run out of ways to explain what I felt love was and decided to go to a better source….

Family, friends, lovers, and pets. Love is always a puzzle, but what else feels as powerful or as good?

(below is the original verse)

1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.