Words, words, words

It occurred to me while watching "Dead Poets Society" last night, that words play an important role in love.

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." and "Language was developed for one endeavor ... to woo women." John Keating

Now he is a character in a movie, but a brilliant movie. I love that movie so much that I have Siri on my iPhone call me "O Captain, my Captain." But the brilliance of that movie is in its inspiration. Mr. Keating inspires the boys to suck the marrow out of life; to study poetry, not because it is cute, but because we are members of the human race. "And the human race is filled with passion ... poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

We stay alive for love. The word "Love" in english is used to represent all forms of love, but the Italians and Greeks have at least five words for love. I am sure that we have more words for love, but if you look in the thesaurus (or thesaurus.com) you will be disappointed with your findings. But it is not the word love that is so important. It is the meanings of all those kinds of love. Perhaps we don't need to categorize the different kinds of love, but recognize that they are all related. The similarities might be more important than the differences.

One piece of advice we were given, as all newly weds are given was to say, "I love you, " everyday to each other. So we do. We try to at least. Some days it sounds like "hello" and sometimes it sounds like reassurance or even the club password. But it means something. The words themselves mean something. I am convinced that they themselves have power. Like bread, they are sustenance. By putting emotion behind those words, you add to that bread. Sometimes you make garlic bread and sometimes its a sandwich. But the words are the base. I love you. That is a mouthful.

Comments

Dual nature

It occurred to me today that I have to start this practicing love if I am going to get any better at it. So I set about to only think good thoughts about people today. It was apparently too lofty a goal for me today. Whatever you practice, you do. I don't know why we continue to practice hate, anger, sadness, frustration, jealousy, etc. It comes out. We seem to gravitate to it. Someone says, "Did you hear what she said?" and we perk up and hope it's juicy. "She is such a horrible person!" we may continue. We love this for some reason. Maybe it's because of the same genes that make us laugh every time someone falls down. Anyway, whatever the reason, it is something to fight against. But I don't want to say fight against, because that too has a negative connotation. It is something to supplant. You see we have two natures, human and spirit. I don't care what religion you practice or don't. You have to feel this spirit within you or recogniz...

GIVE PERMISSION

"PEOPLE REALLY PISS ME OFF!" Have you ever said/thought that? Some days it seems like the world is against us. But the truth of the matter is, the people in the world are not thinking about you much at all. That !@#$%^&*ing person that cut you off on freeway was just doing what they needed to do for themselves. The perception that the person was trying to maliciously scoot in front of you to cause you to slam on your brakes and threaten your life is no more true than the opposite of that. That is right. Both the worst truth and the best truth exist at the same time. Let me explain.Your experience of the truth happens entirely in your brain. You write a play, cast the characters, give them rich histories and endow them with emotions...in your mind. This happens with everything. Since you don't have all the facts, you fill in facts based on your experience, your instincts, your emotions. This is creative energy. Have you ever seen the test that looks like this: Aro...

In the beginning

Everything I needed to know about love, I learned in kindergarten. Well I hope not. But at least in kindergarten they teach about how to play nice with the other kids. And in kindergarten, they make you practice it everyday. Even at home, you were never forced to be nice everyday. Being nice goes against our selfish nature. When you are a kid, the world revolves around you. I'm hungry. I'm tired. I'm cold. It's not fair. But, before kindergarten, when you were first born, the world has to revolve around you. You can do nothing for yourself. Feeding, cleaning and swaddling comes from your parents. You learn quickly how to get everything you need. Those who provide for you, love you. Your love for your parents comes out of getting what you need from them. Your selfishness combine naturally with their unselfish actions toward you.

Practical Love

Search This Blog