I recently watched a report on the local news about a man who had been in Germany in World War II & dated a girl there. He had to return to the states, but wrote a letter asking her to marry him. She misunderstood his intentions and the two lost contact. They both went on to marry others and have families. Sixty years later, the two were being reunited in their eighties for a meeting. What struck me was the older gentleman’s vocabulary. Instead of saying “we fell in love”, he told of how they had met and had an initial ATTRACTION which led to a mutual FRIENDSHIP and FONDNESS. He only used the word love when he said he was married to his wife for 50 years “who he loved dearly”.
In this fast paced world of “one word fits all” mentality it was refreshing to hear love’s attributes subdivided and properly named – giving LOVE it’s rightful & honored place. He admitted there was attraction, fondness and maybe even passion…but love? That was reserved for his wife of 50 years, who truly LOVED (as a verb) everyday for 50 years. Today we love everything from ice cream to our mates. Passion and attraction are electric but it is love – giving, selfless, self sacrificing love – that holds the purse while she shops, swallows the snide remark that could win the argument and holds her hair when she’s sick. It is the hard stuff. The messy stuff. The “I’d rather not” stuff. It is loving in DEED, not merely feelings or words. PLet us, like I John 3:18 implores “love in word and deed and not just word only”. Passion and attraction are great. But let’s not settle for anything less than the best in love!
Sweet Mimosa 