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dying
November 2009 
Lovin' it up
Posted on Feb 16th, 2006
by 
Jessica
Jessica
I want you to find the poor here, right in your own home first. And begin love there.
Be that good news to your own people.
-Mother Teresa
I recently had a conversation with a great teacher of mine about love. She said "the purpose of love is to love without expecting a return." Love is its own end. But, we all want to be loved, and rightly so. We all deserve love in our lives.
I was reading Mother Teresa's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sheesh. That lady was amazing. She was talking about a poverty of love in the West. She said people suffer because there is no one to "recieve them."
“You have to do that here in your country. You must come to know the poor. Maybe our people here have material things, everything, but I think that if we all look into our own homes, how difficult we find it sometimes to smile at each other, and that the smile is the beginning of love.”
She spoke about her work, and yes, it was about feeding people and providing shelter, but first and foremost it was about love. She helped so many and brought those dying on the streets into her care; they still died, but she helped them have "beautiful deaths."
“Like that man who we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home - "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything.”
“Just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world… it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.”
I read these words and realized, remembered how much love I want to offer. It brings me great joy to see the brilliance of my friends and to love them, support them. I hope they always know they are loved. It brings me such happiness to see your good works in this world. And I then could realize what my teacher had been telling me, the purpose of love is to do it without expectation. It is a privilege to love. It is the greatest joy. It is the best of our existence.
This doesn’t mean we should allow people to mistreat us or cause detriment; it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t create a life full of folks who nourish us with love; it does mean we can love people even if they don’t love us back, even if they are cruel, even if they don’t care, don’t like us, or don’t respond in the way we wish. And we can remember to really love those people with whom we do want to cultivate our lives, to smile and reach out, to love people in the way that is best for them.
Loving, being able to open the heart is the best gift! In those moments we channel the energy of Heaven and become closer to God, the Tao, the universal. This kind of love melts away insecurities because it includes a self love and helps us understand our fellow human beings better.
So, do not be afraid to love. Sometimes we become timid because we don’t think people will return our love and appreciation, maybe they won’t! But, it doesn’t matter. When you hold back you sell yourself short, and who wants that? It is so good to give love freely and be that good news for yourself and the world around you.
Be that good news to your own people.
-Mother Teresa
I recently had a conversation with a great teacher of mine about love. She said "the purpose of love is to love without expecting a return." Love is its own end. But, we all want to be loved, and rightly so. We all deserve love in our lives.
I was reading Mother Teresa's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sheesh. That lady was amazing. She was talking about a poverty of love in the West. She said people suffer because there is no one to "recieve them."
“You have to do that here in your country. You must come to know the poor. Maybe our people here have material things, everything, but I think that if we all look into our own homes, how difficult we find it sometimes to smile at each other, and that the smile is the beginning of love.”
She spoke about her work, and yes, it was about feeding people and providing shelter, but first and foremost it was about love. She helped so many and brought those dying on the streets into her care; they still died, but she helped them have "beautiful deaths."
“Like that man who we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home - "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything.”
“Just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world… it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.”
I read these words and realized, remembered how much love I want to offer. It brings me great joy to see the brilliance of my friends and to love them, support them. I hope they always know they are loved. It brings me such happiness to see your good works in this world. And I then could realize what my teacher had been telling me, the purpose of love is to do it without expectation. It is a privilege to love. It is the greatest joy. It is the best of our existence.
This doesn’t mean we should allow people to mistreat us or cause detriment; it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t create a life full of folks who nourish us with love; it does mean we can love people even if they don’t love us back, even if they are cruel, even if they don’t care, don’t like us, or don’t respond in the way we wish. And we can remember to really love those people with whom we do want to cultivate our lives, to smile and reach out, to love people in the way that is best for them.
Loving, being able to open the heart is the best gift! In those moments we channel the energy of Heaven and become closer to God, the Tao, the universal. This kind of love melts away insecurities because it includes a self love and helps us understand our fellow human beings better.
So, do not be afraid to love. Sometimes we become timid because we don’t think people will return our love and appreciation, maybe they won’t! But, it doesn’t matter. When you hold back you sell yourself short, and who wants that? It is so good to give love freely and be that good news for yourself and the world around you.
Access: Public
You tapped into something very real and powerful here.
Thank you for your numerous blogs full of tons of good schtuff- I always learn something from them. :-D
“It brings me great joy to see the brilliance of my friends and to love them, support them. I hope they always know they are loved.”
Yes, we do. Thank you for your magnificent presence and your never ending love - even when it’s challenging. ;-)
I *love* this post. It really resonates with what I was touching on here. Love really is a many splendored thing. “To give love freely” - I can’t think of a more joyous and fulfilling way to approach life.
Thank you for sharing and loving!
Absorbing change through reading…. The words infuse in ourcellves and will affect us in our thinking from now on….2cool
Thanks for your beautiful blog and for spreading the love - you definitely get back what you give. XXXXXX
QUOTE:
“It is a privilege to love. It is the greatest joy. It is the best of our existence.”
Jessica, your words are so gentle, yet so intense. Thank you for your writings and your blog. Mira.
Love is also a great gift to oneself, not only others. If you truly give love to somebody, it brings peace and healing within yourself.
Wonderful blog!
Around me there are so many people who need love. I hope I can make a change. :)
Thanks for spreading love. Universal love has no boundaries and can extend beyond space and time. Think of it, if we are rich with love, we die smiling. Instead of people crying, they will smile right back as they see our smiles reflected :)
“When we judge, we have not time to love.” Mother Teresa.
This is SUCH a beautiful post Jessica. You just helped me rethink an approach I have been taking to a relationship in my life…. and all those in the future. Thank you.
Jessica…you are so awesome…you go girl!
“it does mean we can love people even if they don’t love us back, even if they are cruel, even if they don’t care, don’t like us, or don’t respond in the way we wish.”
This is the tough one, to love even if they don’t love us back. Take it a step further, to what Jesus teaches! Love your enemy. It’s hard to comprehend for most people, but if you can extend silent love through prayers to the people who don’t like you, you can bring blessings to yourself. You can help get a glimmer of light in their hearts, even if they can’t feel it. And you can learn from them if you ask God to help you with your dislike of them. (Love is different from like!)