Hold On To Love

Love is not a feeling. Love is a choice. Love is something that must be chosen again every day.

True. There are times when love does FEEL absolutely wonderful--when it is new, exciting, fun, and carefree. That feeling is probably the best feeling in the world.

But love at its truest--its deepest--is the love that begins to feel normal. It is the love that is there day in and day out, even when life becomes somewhat boring. It listens to the details of daily life and it is there through the monotony. It puts up with a lot of junk and is dealt an often unfair load. But it is there. It is true. It is unconditional. Even when the feelings are not there.

Should love become boring? No.

Should love become monotonous? No.

Should we take love for granted? Absolutely not.

We should do everything in our power to make life and love exciting and fresh and new, to value love and to let those in our lives know that we do indeed love them.

But...reality mandates...love will become normal. It will not always be the exciting and intense pursuit that it is in the beginning. That doesn't mean that love should lose its passion or sincerity; it just means that it is there for what it is--companionship and encouragement on the journey of life.

Remember, though: love must be chosen. It must be deliberate. It must never become so distant that is it not demonstrated or felt. Love cannot be taken for granted or else it will fade away, leaving you with a terribly broken heart. The norm can be demonstrated through intentional time and action. Making love a top priority can become a routine part of life. Respect. Care. Concern. Compassion. Compromise. Laughter. Healthy boundaries. Sacred silence. Non-anxious listening. Gentle presence. Gifts. Acts of service. Loving touches. Loving notes. All of those things are part of the love that must be chosen--the love that will become your normal life--the love that we all so desperately desire.

So...hold on to love. Hold on to the depth of God's goodness. Don't hold on to the dream of a feeling, to the illusion that says that love will always be fun. If you hold on to the latter, then you will live your life in disappointment. But if you hold on to the former, then you will live a life of happiness that truly completes you.