Before I begin, I want to briefly review my description of the three different types of love, as discussed in the August 2010 Ah-Man Blog entries. The three types of love are Eros, Philo and Agapé. If you recall, both Eros and Philo are conditional and temporary types of love. The basis for these is “as long as I get what I want, I will continue to love you.” Agapé Love/Spiritual Love/Lasting Love is unconditional and Divine.
Lasting Love is centered on a commitment to another’s highest good. It is unselfish, and the fulfillment of the commitment is its own reward.
So how do we recognize it? In the February Ah-Man Newsletter, I shared the example of a parent loving a child. If you have been a parent, you know that it takes a lot to raise a child or children. In the beginning, there are those sleepless nights, and the times you might have gone without, so that your child could have more. And I’m sure there were many times when you have made personal sacrifices to support them.
Other examples include the emergency responders, the men and women of the armed services, and the many others who put themselves in harm’s way to help others without expecting anything in return.
There are also people who practice daily prayer and contemplation to help enlighten the world’s collective consciousness, which helps alleviate suffering.
How many times have you done something just for the sake of doing it, without expecting anything back? Sometimes, feeling good might have been the result because of what you did but it wasn’t the reason for doing it.
Then there are times you’ve done something because of your of faith and/or traditions. There was little or no euphoric feeling from it, but you did it knowing it is for the greater good.
When we can recognize others in our world today who are performing these selfless acts, it can help make a difference in our lives and, in return, we can make a difference in the lives of others.
Please share with me some of your witnessing, as you go about your day.
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