Amen. Let go of fear – love instead.
Thank you for this beautiful post.
Peace and blessings to you.

Therese – I’m remembering that you lost your runner friend this winter and am guessing that you still have some fresh grief there….
I liked two things on this reading…
1)I’m in that place you talked about – recognizing some barricades that I’ve made to those I’m closest to. Something that’s been cheering me up about it is knowing that one of my favorite things about living near farmers is this time of year when plowing starts…I love the furrows and the surprise of where they decide to rotate the fields. Maybe I need to rotate some mental fields…hmmmm…
2)The “inner community.” Brings tears to my eyes. Communion of the saints, yes?
thanks…Kate

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“To Laugh Often and Love Much, to Appreciate Beauty, to Find the Best in Other’s, to Give One’s Self. This Is To Have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Once again, this brings Kahil Gibran’s words to mind Paraphrased:”The Greater Your sorrow, the greater your joy.”,As one who has always loved deeply( and yes, been deeply hurt), I have lived the wisdom of those sentiments. Just as in nature there must be mountains to create valleys, our hearts’ landscapes are made more beautiful by both love and the pain it sometimes brings. Without having felt the pain, I don’t think one can truly know the deep joy and fulfillment God means for each of us to know. Unfortunately, it’s easier to accept that AFTER the pain than it is during it. When the pain is current, it kind of blocks out the knowledge of its purpose, at least for me, and it’s only in hindsight that I can honestly give the pain its due. While it’s actually occuring, I tend to get too caught up in it to be anle to understand that it too serves a purpose. This was beautiful, Therese, and right on time for Mother’s Day, for surely motherhood brings both. watching your child learn to love others and survive the subsequentpain is perhaps the most rewarding part of being a mothe because then you realize that your child can rise above whatever ugliness life will toss at him or her Also because the love between a mother and her child (to ME anyway) is the purest form of love. How well I remember the moment my Ryan was first placed in my arms; my heart was so full of love I thought it might burst. I know it sounds corny, but it was indeed “love at first sight.” Even though I think most of us begin loving our children while they’re still on the womb, it’s different once they’re finally here and we can cuddle them. What mother’s heart hasn’t lurched when her child first raises his or her arms up to them in a silent plea to be held? Conversely, what mother’s heart hasn’t broken a little when she sees her child’s feelings get hurt, be it the first time or the hundredth? I find it hard to accept that ANY mother doesn’t feel the overwhelming but futile desire to absorb her child’s paindespite the knowledge that it’s frequently the pain that leads to the inner growth we each experence. I clearly remember my own heart being broken by love for the first time and having my mother open her arms to me and say,”What’s breaking your heart today, daughter? Dry your tears. It will pass and you’ll be stronger after.” My first serious romance had ended because he had told me he’d deided he was gay, and I justKNEW I’d never love like that again. I was right, each love that followed was different; some better, some not, but never the same.

The more I read of Nouwen, the more his words penetrate my heart. There is great healing there.

very nice article you wrote. sounds great. But what everything seems isn’t what it is? Maybe suppose to be. the was the way I lived. But, not everything is what it is. Healing the heart, big question??

correction: that was the way i used to live.

if you give love then you will get it back . love mades your heart stronger . i know because i just had a triple bypass on my heart

I agree-”Love Deeply” – there is no other way to be. I always say -bitter or better. We all go through the bitterness after being hurt-however I want to always rise above the situation by loving to become a better person.

i believe that in LOVE, there is always a chance that we all take. We either love and find hapiness or hate and find loneliness. We have to take chances that is what life is all about. When we do it with senserity and our hearts are legit we can’t go wrong. We built our foundations concrete without that we will find ourselves bilding and building into “right back to nothing”. Love comes first from within and increased to without. As you can see love yourself first, then with senserity and all will fall into place. and if with all that said our hearts get broken in the process you can always have yourself and you can never go wrong with that.!!!!!

Excellent theory, once which I beleive is truely relevent to my personal experiences. I share my experience, and encourage others to take the time to give..
I worked with the elderly in nursing homes for many, many years. During my work, I felt a love, equivalent to that of a grandparent towards many of the residents of these nursing facilities.
I feel strongly, and have a personal awareness that these souls will be in my heart forever, during my life time and beyond. I look forward to meeting them again, in another place where I predict that they will welcome me, and be able to express the gratitude, for taking the time, to hold a hand, to calm a soul… The look in their eyes was thanks enough, and profound in nature. A feeling that words cannot describe, perhaps as an angel in disguise.
I took the time, and held many hands. I provided assurance that they were safe, and would be cared for, while watching other staff members, even many nurses, ignore their screams, and walk by… as if they did not exist..
dgd

A man who cheats, after you have given him faithful devotion and love, does not have a good character. The best thing to do is show him he is not worthy of you. Because he isn’t; his character is flawed. Don’t call. Don’t argue or plead with him. Just make a face when you see him, like he is pathetic. Say mhm when he tells you about the other woman. Then say excuse me I’ meeting a friend. Walk away. He is an egotist if he needs another woman to build up his ego so she will recognize what a wonderful man he is (isn’t) You are too good for him. Stop pining over him, he doesn’t deserve you. He has a woman that does not have your good traits or it would’t be okay to go with a married man. After a while you will feel superior to him (and you are) and thing he is a drip for acting the way he is (and he is) You are the greatest! Remember that. He is a smuck and a sneaky you know what. Take care and be proud of who you are.

I have learned this the hard way. On my second marriage now and it has been a rough one, when I let myself fully loved I disconnected for fear of being hurt. I noticed this trend of mine about two years ago. I now realize my husband loves me and will never leave me until he goes home to the lord. Even with the sins I have committed he has forgiven me and we are trying to find our love we once had and remember it and rejoice in it.

I had to learn this lesson the hard way. Every time I got to close and started to feel that deep love I would back off and disconnect. I realized this trend after my second marriage. My second husband and I were toegther for a long time before marrying, I thought marriage was the answer and then I found myself in the same spot as my first marrige(diconnecting for fear of them leaving me and hurting me) I know have realized this and life has turned corners and I now realize that my husband loves me and will not leave me and it is ok to be afraid but not let it destroy any happiness I can have.