Love Quote

Love is the most powerful force in the world

The Anatomy of Love

If ever there was an underestimated word, it's LOVE.

Due to the association of the word love with the emotional bond between individuals, it appears to be one-dimensional. On many levels it's been hijacked by the heart motif, the constant stream of romantic media and the idealism of romcom plots.

However, Love is ready for a readjustment. It's time for a more thorough understanding of this fascinating word.

I recommend we keep it simple though. Romantic love is an indescribable attraction, connection and bond that grows between two or more people. If we are to explore how it can be applied more widely, we can simply imagine the same end result with a different process behind it.

As we will see later, a world in which everyone feel an indescribable connection and bond to their neighbour is an ideal outcome imagined by many of our most beloved leaders in history. Getting their requires a mixture of logic, honesty, vulnerability and emotion. Most importantly, it requires INTENTION.

Building Love With Intention

Love at a level that includes all of humanity and beyond, requires more than just a whimsical, "wouldn't it be nice if?" It takes serious thought, engaged conversations, challenged beliefs and a destruction of self interest.

If we are to get to a time and place when love flows freely between all beings on this beautiful blue planet 🌎 , we've got to deconstruct much of what is valued by different societies around the world and rebuild something together that we can all believe in.

Logic

There is an inescapable logic to a love pandemic. Currently, countries and their leaders act from a place of protectionism, ignorance and fear. It is an often stated fact that there is more than enough wealth, food and natural resources to ensure everyone on the planet has sufficient. And yet, the focus is on lack, greed and the need for more.

As I mentioned in my blog on Think To Change, FEAR is no more than False Evidence Appearing Real. If you talk to anyone involved in protecting the spoils they have accumulated in this life, they will provide you with so many "reasons" why this cannot change. Their fear blinds them to the facts.

Honesty

We need to be honest with each other. When we see an injustice, we need to be emboldened by the words fo Martin Luther King Jr;

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

That quiet voice in our heads, reminding us of the basic rights and wrongs passed on through generations originated in a time when we did look after each other, we did act from a place of mutuality and we did acknowledge our interdependence.

If we are honest, we know our current systems are imbalanced, unjust and indefensible. Let's start from there and overcome our fears.

Vulnerability

In acknowledging the truth we immediately open ourselves up to attack. Fear is a mighty enemy. One person's desire to live in a world where all the people lived in peace is another person's idea of naivety.

Guess what? If you are happy to be vulnerable, you will have a lot of recent history on your side. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela all made themselves vulnerable and the results of their idealism still inspire people today. Wherever you see peaceful protest, hear visionary speeches or experience open and transparent dialogue, you will see vulnerability in action.

Emotion

Self love is not selfish

It starts with us. We cannot love the rest of the world until we love ourselves. Until we see in ourself the greatness others see in us, we cannot truly love others. We need to take our self love to another level. A level that goes beyond the visual and sees into the heart.

What is in your heart? We seldom think about the bigger picture. It can feel too intangible, too inaccessible, too difficult. Instead, tune into your heart and ask, what can I do today to inject more love into the world?

It really doesn't matter what others think, say or do. As another great once said:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

What part are you going to play in spreading love? Maybe start by sharing this little blog along with a commitment of something you are going to do, have already started.