The Heart Knows

This is not my normal blog post. I'm not reviewing a book today, but rather speaking from my heart. This is not a perfectly written piece, and I am sure that I'll step on countless toes and may in fact sever  some relationships after this, and that is okay. If people cannot respect me for speaking my mind when I have listened to and supported you for speaking yours, then there is an obvious flaw in our relationship.

What is the definition of love? Is there a "right" and a "wrong" love? Who is qualified to define what love is? I'm not only talking about the physical, "Lets get it on" type love, but the love that scares the hell out of you because you feel it so deeply in your heart, your mind. I am wondering about the love that defines me and you. The love that makes us human, that unites us with others, that suddenly fills in all of the cracks and holes that we did not realize we had in ourselves. 

In 1Corenthians 13:4 -7, the Bible says, "4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  New International Version 1984.  This definition of love is the one that I was brought up by, to believe in.  I look at this reading and I wonder, really wonder, where we have gotten so off course from what our basic definition of love is?

I do not believe that we can pick who we fall in love with. Mind you, lust and love are not the same. We become physically attracted to someone and, yes, lust is a very simple feeling. This feeling is generally based on the physical appearance, what we like verses what we do not like: Lust. Yes, I know that love can often grow from that lust, but I know several people who realized that was not THE love.

I believe, in my heart, that we were all put on Earth with preordained purpose. The God I believe in knows the paths that we will follow long before we know which one to walk. He knows the choices we will make, and where we will stumble along the way. If I am correct, and that path is laid out for us, then I am certain that those we love are also on their path to where we will meet. God puts them in the time and place that we need them most, for reasons that may or may not be apparent to us. 

If a man finds that utter and complete love in the heart of another man, or a woman finds hers with another woman, who are we to judge? Too many people are quick to don a judges robe and denounce these hearts, often in the name of God. Yes, there are scripture, from hundreds and thousand(s) years ago, when the life was less civilized, that proclaimed, in the name of God, that this was sin, punishable by death.  Later, in Matthew 7:1, Jesus states, "Do not judge so that you may not be judged," meaning, if you're willing to judge me based on how /who I love, then lets take a peek at your life and who /how you've loved, also. 

In our technological age I have had the pleasure of "meeting" some fascinating people who are, thank God, breaking up many of my predjuices and answering my questions so that I can see and appreciate everyone's hearts. I am learning that while my love and their love may look different from the other, when you get down to the heart of the matter, the heart knows what it wants, regardless of the packaging it comes in. We all love, and if we are lucky, we find the love that makes our heart full. 

I know I am not an eloquent writer, and I hope you can overlook that. One of life's greatest challenges is looking past errors, or differences, to see the beauty, the truth, the uniqueness that is underneath.