R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Thoughts

“They do not love that do not show their love.”
William Shakespeare

I’m part of a group called the “Big Questions Group.” I don’t know if I have told you about this group or not. It has been a fantastic group to be a part of and we are in our third year of meeting once a month. It’s a group of 12 people and we get together once a month to discuss one of the Big Questions of Life … like “Is There Absolute Truth? What Happens When You Die? Are There Spirits? What Should We Do About Immigration? Is There Anything You Are Willing to Kill or To Die For?” --- i.e. BIG QUESTIONS! The host decides on the question and begins the discussion. (We cannot talk politics and we must be respectful of every opinion!) Tonight we are discussing “What is Love?” During my months (and months) of midlife divorce recovery, even thinking about that question would have made me sad. Almost anything I read or thought or heard about love made me feel like a failure. I loved my then-husband. I tried to do the things love is supposed to do. I tried to live out what true love in a marriage is. But he rejected my love, and so it threw all of my long-held ideas about love into an utter turmoil. But now that I am far out from my divorce I understand that all of that love I lived out in my marriage was not wasted; was the right thing to do; and by the way, is STILL the right thing to do. Love is ALWAYS the right thing to do regardless of what anyone else does with our gift of love. And we will be rewarded for loving. You might be asking, “Rewarded?? He left me! That is not being rewarded for love!” He is one person. He is one individual who did not recognize the gift of your love, and he will reap the harvest of that rejection. You are always rewarded for love whether you realize it or not… whether you feel it immediately or not …. whether it looks like you are being rewarded or not. I know it’s hard in the middle of injustice, but please don’t give up. Love never fails. Love always wins and yours will too.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

Please send me your ideas about what you think love really is for the Big Questions discussion tonight. I won’t use any names (even if I know who Fluffy Dillingham is!) You can send me responses through this site or can send them directly to suzysuccess@kc.rr.com.