For Those of Us Asking "Where's the Love?"
When I was a little kid, my sister and I briefly collected little handheld Sonic videogames from McDonalds Happy Meals. We walked around with them by the park behind our house when a couple of boys a few years older than us grabbed the toy from us, started playing toss with it, and then rode off on their bikes without returning it. We went home and told our parents, and our dad was so mad that he drove us over to the older kids' house to talk to the boys and their parents before making them apologize and give us back our toy.
That's love.
Love is more than a four-letter word. Love is an action. Really, love is a series of actions. When you love someone, you show them. And when you love someone, you feel for and with them. When they're celebrating a victory, you jump for joy with them. When they're crying, you cry with them--or at least sit next to them and offer them some ice cream or wine. Love is affection in action, one could say.
I won't reiderate what we've all already seen on the news. We all know what's going on. You look to your left and you'll see all the headlines blaring in your face. You look to your right and you'll see people throwing their hands up in frustration, wondering, "where's the love? Why can't we all just love each other and get along? Why can't we all choose love?"
Love is not always sitting around a campfire while holding hands and smiling at each other. Sometimes, love is watching people you care about hurting, crying out for help, and deciding that it's time to put affection in action. Love is peaceful, but it is not passive. Love does not sit back and let loved ones hurt. Love is my dad getting up and making right the situation with the toy taken from my sister and I.
Love does.
For those of us wondering, "where is the love," the love is where you stand up and stand with those who are hurting. The love is where you stand up and speak up with those who are hurting. Love starts and ends with us.
Let me say that one more time: Love starts and ends with us.
What are you going to do to spread love to those around you hurting?
Love and light,
Reina M
