I would like to think that people are noble. I would like to think there is good in everyone. But maybe I'm just an idealist.
The other day I stuck was in the midst of an argument between people that I hold near and dear to my heart. It made sad. I couldn't stand it. But all I could do is sit there and listen to them and think to myself, why do have to be right? Why can't both of you accept that there is some sort of miscommunication and actually listen to each other? Why does only one of you have to be right? I couldn't understand.
Why can't we just for a moment give up of ourselves and accept the other person for the sake of harmony? For the sake of love? Why can't we choose to be the bigger man, so to speak, and let go of our pride? Why does someone always have to be right?
Both of the people arguing had valid points but their anger wouldn't let them accept the other's point. Anger confused their logic. Had one decided to listen, they would have seen. Had one decided to listen, they would have stopped hurting the other with their words. I mean, what's so great in arguing anyways if we are just going to be close-minded and tear other people down. Debating I could maybe understand because the point is to be constructive at the very least. But arguing is a matter of pride.
But why against someone you love? Why wouldn't you choose to be selfless? Love is selfless. One of the passages that really inspires me to think this way is Romans 12:18. It says "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." It's about valuing others before yourself. To seek the well being of others before yourself.
But I have a serious problem here. As much as I want to love others and seek peace, I forfeit things about me that make me me. I've noticed that I am people pleaser. Well, I've been knowing that. I use to think I was noble in doing so. But after deep reflectioning, I am beginning to see the real reason behind my actions. I want people to be happy not just for their sakes, but also, and sometimes even more so, for my own. It's like I have a love deficit.
Let me explain. When I was still very young, I lost my mother to cancer. God in His mercy provided me with a new mother a couple years later. She loved (and still loves) me as her own child, but I felt like I needed to win her love. I did things so she would be happy with me. I made sure I was well behaved and got good grades in school. In every aspect of life, I made sure people were pleased with me. I never wanted to feel like a burden to anyone. I was your typical overachiever. I would always volunteer to help people, even if I didn't want to, thinking about denying the opportunity somehow did not ring with me. To this day, I still tell people I don't know many people that don't like me. I noticed that my actions weren't all that noble as I thought.
Yet, I'm not as ignoble as I think of myself to be. I genuinely would like to think that all people still have a sense of goodness in then. After all, we were created by God. And God is good. We must have a hint of good in us. We must strive to let goodness and kindness reign. We must be moved by love. Love holds all things together. Love is life :)
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Beauty Above
Before I begin, I would like to apologize for the long lapse between posts. Life, school and laziness during spring break didn't mix up too well. Also, I had a thought that I've not been able to fully verbalize and is a halfway unpublished post at the moment. But without any further ado: my thought of the day.
Today, I found myself absolutely dumbfounded. You know that look people give when they are absolutely lost and possibly tired as well. The one were their mouth is just slightly open and their eyes seem to just be staring off into space. That was me today, staring out a window. But not just any window. It was an airplane window.
It's been years since I've last flown on a plane and I forgot the wonder that it is. One of man's greatest dreams has always been to fly. Reading old myths and stories, like Icarus and his man-made wings, we can see how much the sky and heavens have always fascinated mankind. And to think that now we are capable of sending people to outer space. As the plane traversed the sky, I couldn't help but stare out the window in pure awe. I was absolutely amazed. It was so beautiful.
Quite frankly, I don't think I've ever felt so stupefied by anything so amazing. I looked at the ground below, how everything that seems big to us seems so minute from the sky above. I loved looking at the different patches of land, the different shades of green, see how they were divided and connected. I have quite a fascination for roads and highways, so when I saw their orderliness (or lack thereof), I loved it. The parallel and perpendicular roads, how the roads followed the natural groove of the earth, the lakes, the rivers, then the ocean. It was beautiful.
But what was truly beautiful were the clouds. Staring at the clouds and looking at their shapes on a nice summer day is one thing, but when you're right with them, it's surreal. I would love to just touch a cloud. To think that these clouds, these fluffy cotton-looking-like things, are just water and dust particles, it's amazing. And they're not just there, they're dynamic and changing and wow. No wonder our ancestor's use to think heaven was there.
And what if it really was but in a spiritual dimension? This is just a thought not fully worked out yet but at the top of the stratosphere's level there is more surface area than at sea level, and clearly more area than all the actual dry ground. So even though there are 7 billion people currently alive and heck of a lot more people have lived through the history of earth, we could all possibly live in that heaven, because there is so much room. Think about it, not even all the land on earth is inhabited (clearly because not all is able to be life sustaining without the adequate technology and resources), so there should be more than enough room. But maybe not, I haven't made any calculations. This is just an idea.
It'd be kind of interesting to think about. But anyways, man these clouds were beautiful. After seeing that I was just convicted once again of God's magnificence. That's really the only thing on my mind other than all the science that is behind flying and the clouds and wind and everything. I mean if you can't even believe in a divine, greater-than-yourself, other-worldly being, clearly you've never been on a plane. It's just all too orderly and systematic and simple uniquely beautiful for their not to be a designer. It's almost like the designer's fingerprints are all over the clouds as they change shapes. That was meant to be rude in anyway but it's just a kind of wonder that you have to experience to acknowledge the wonder of the world you live in the midst in. For a moment you can actually see something greater than your own little world. As you fly over your hometown you realize how much more there is outside of your own bubble. There is a sense of grandeur and majesty and wonder that I just can't explain.
And when you all you can see is the blue sky above, there are no words left. Well at least that was my experience. I remember that I flew on planes as a child and I always loved sitting window seat, but never do I remember been so fascinated by the sky (possibly just because I have a bad memory). The one thing I wished at that moment was that my little brother could see what I was seeing. Little kids have such an impressionable imagination. I know he would just fall in love and be utterly amazed. I would just love to hear what he would say.
I'm pretty sure he would be fascinated. I love that about children. They are still amazed by the world. They're innocent and are still capable of seeing the beauty in everything. I hope you would be more open to seeing the beauty in life too, not just clouds :)
Today, I found myself absolutely dumbfounded. You know that look people give when they are absolutely lost and possibly tired as well. The one were their mouth is just slightly open and their eyes seem to just be staring off into space. That was me today, staring out a window. But not just any window. It was an airplane window.
It's been years since I've last flown on a plane and I forgot the wonder that it is. One of man's greatest dreams has always been to fly. Reading old myths and stories, like Icarus and his man-made wings, we can see how much the sky and heavens have always fascinated mankind. And to think that now we are capable of sending people to outer space. As the plane traversed the sky, I couldn't help but stare out the window in pure awe. I was absolutely amazed. It was so beautiful.
Quite frankly, I don't think I've ever felt so stupefied by anything so amazing. I looked at the ground below, how everything that seems big to us seems so minute from the sky above. I loved looking at the different patches of land, the different shades of green, see how they were divided and connected. I have quite a fascination for roads and highways, so when I saw their orderliness (or lack thereof), I loved it. The parallel and perpendicular roads, how the roads followed the natural groove of the earth, the lakes, the rivers, then the ocean. It was beautiful.
But what was truly beautiful were the clouds. Staring at the clouds and looking at their shapes on a nice summer day is one thing, but when you're right with them, it's surreal. I would love to just touch a cloud. To think that these clouds, these fluffy cotton-looking-like things, are just water and dust particles, it's amazing. And they're not just there, they're dynamic and changing and wow. No wonder our ancestor's use to think heaven was there.
And what if it really was but in a spiritual dimension? This is just a thought not fully worked out yet but at the top of the stratosphere's level there is more surface area than at sea level, and clearly more area than all the actual dry ground. So even though there are 7 billion people currently alive and heck of a lot more people have lived through the history of earth, we could all possibly live in that heaven, because there is so much room. Think about it, not even all the land on earth is inhabited (clearly because not all is able to be life sustaining without the adequate technology and resources), so there should be more than enough room. But maybe not, I haven't made any calculations. This is just an idea.
It'd be kind of interesting to think about. But anyways, man these clouds were beautiful. After seeing that I was just convicted once again of God's magnificence. That's really the only thing on my mind other than all the science that is behind flying and the clouds and wind and everything. I mean if you can't even believe in a divine, greater-than-yourself, other-worldly being, clearly you've never been on a plane. It's just all too orderly and systematic and simple uniquely beautiful for their not to be a designer. It's almost like the designer's fingerprints are all over the clouds as they change shapes. That was meant to be rude in anyway but it's just a kind of wonder that you have to experience to acknowledge the wonder of the world you live in the midst in. For a moment you can actually see something greater than your own little world. As you fly over your hometown you realize how much more there is outside of your own bubble. There is a sense of grandeur and majesty and wonder that I just can't explain.
And when you all you can see is the blue sky above, there are no words left. Well at least that was my experience. I remember that I flew on planes as a child and I always loved sitting window seat, but never do I remember been so fascinated by the sky (possibly just because I have a bad memory). The one thing I wished at that moment was that my little brother could see what I was seeing. Little kids have such an impressionable imagination. I know he would just fall in love and be utterly amazed. I would just love to hear what he would say.
I'm pretty sure he would be fascinated. I love that about children. They are still amazed by the world. They're innocent and are still capable of seeing the beauty in everything. I hope you would be more open to seeing the beauty in life too, not just clouds :)
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Love IS
I've been thinking...Maybe I love too easily. Not romantic love, necessarily. I can't say I know too much on that topic. But maybe I'm just in love with the idea of love. Hopefully you're not thinking this is going to be some mushy gushy lovey dovey what not, because it won't be, hopefully.
So check this out. Out of the few things I remember from geometry, the transitive property of equality is one of them. You are given If "A", then "B" and If "B", then "C". Then by this property, if you have both of those given then: If "A", then "C" is true . And you can rearrange this logic a bit so let's apply this. So: if God is love, and God is in everything, then love is in everything. Let me make sure I get this point across. LOVE is in everything.
I don't think I can really get this point across how I'm understanding it. Love, that thing which we all crave for and can't fully describe, comprehend, or express. Is. In everything, absolutely anything and everything you can think of. Now, I know grammatically that was absolutely incorrect but how amazing is that? I mean, seriously. How awesome is that?! It is truly awe inspiring. This realization has just rocked my worldview. I can't help but seeing everything through the lenses of love now. Love love love love love! Love! If you could only just see me right now, I talk with my hands, and they're just everywhere!!
Love is a driving force. Whether you believe in God, gods, Buddha, the Force, or whatever, just substitute or delete the words if you can't accept it, but love, Love is. You just can't refute it. You may not understand it. You may not feel it. You may not want it. You may deny it. But love, Love is. You've probably heard this. It's become cliche the phrase that "love is not a word is an action," but just what type of action is it?
I've heard it put this way (and it's probably my favorite rendition): love is a divine way of interacting with others. In this definition, there are several different aspects that make up this concept called "love". It's divine, therefore not human, unless of course you consider humans to be divine, but even then, there is a distinction between the mundane and naturalistic and that which is outside the natural realm. Secondly, it's a interaction, thus it cannot be static, it needs to have a giver and receiver. It is dynamic. And lastly, it is an specific type of interaction, not just the fact that it interacts. Also it is not reactive or counteractive, is it the propagator. So love in this sense, always is.
I'm struggling to find words to accurately describe what I mean. Let me try and rephrase things. You are always either acting in love or you're not. There is no gray areas. So why not always act in love? Isn't that what we're called to do? Without bringing religion into this, doesn't Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs imply this? If our ultimate need to to be loved and accepted should we not also be the perpetrators of this? Shouldn't we not only not treat others in ways that we would not like to be treated but actually be proactive and treat others in ways we'd like to be treated? Shouldn't we want to love others and be loved by others? Shouldn't we want to understand others and then have others understand us? Shouldn't we love love?
I love you not by telling you so, not by thinking nice things of you, not by just being nice. I love you being getting to know what you understand to be love and showing you that love. I show you love by giving up of myself for you. I show you love by thinking of your well being more than my own. Love is shown by giving your life up for those you love. You can love anyone without knowing them intimately. You can love your boss by doing everything in a cheerful spirit, mainly if it is unpleasant things. You can love your friends by reminding them of their worth. You can love a stranger by acting in kindness. I can love you by sharing my heart with you yet Love is not something you just do, love is something you live. Love is life. Love gave up it's life for you. So live in Love. Live full of love. Live with love. Live your life in love :)
So check this out. Out of the few things I remember from geometry, the transitive property of equality is one of them. You are given If "A", then "B" and If "B", then "C". Then by this property, if you have both of those given then: If "A", then "C" is true . And you can rearrange this logic a bit so let's apply this. So: if God is love, and God is in everything, then love is in everything. Let me make sure I get this point across. LOVE is in everything.
I don't think I can really get this point across how I'm understanding it. Love, that thing which we all crave for and can't fully describe, comprehend, or express. Is. In everything, absolutely anything and everything you can think of. Now, I know grammatically that was absolutely incorrect but how amazing is that? I mean, seriously. How awesome is that?! It is truly awe inspiring. This realization has just rocked my worldview. I can't help but seeing everything through the lenses of love now. Love love love love love! Love! If you could only just see me right now, I talk with my hands, and they're just everywhere!!
Love is a driving force. Whether you believe in God, gods, Buddha, the Force, or whatever, just substitute or delete the words if you can't accept it, but love, Love is. You just can't refute it. You may not understand it. You may not feel it. You may not want it. You may deny it. But love, Love is. You've probably heard this. It's become cliche the phrase that "love is not a word is an action," but just what type of action is it?
I've heard it put this way (and it's probably my favorite rendition): love is a divine way of interacting with others. In this definition, there are several different aspects that make up this concept called "love". It's divine, therefore not human, unless of course you consider humans to be divine, but even then, there is a distinction between the mundane and naturalistic and that which is outside the natural realm. Secondly, it's a interaction, thus it cannot be static, it needs to have a giver and receiver. It is dynamic. And lastly, it is an specific type of interaction, not just the fact that it interacts. Also it is not reactive or counteractive, is it the propagator. So love in this sense, always is.
I'm struggling to find words to accurately describe what I mean. Let me try and rephrase things. You are always either acting in love or you're not. There is no gray areas. So why not always act in love? Isn't that what we're called to do? Without bringing religion into this, doesn't Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs imply this? If our ultimate need to to be loved and accepted should we not also be the perpetrators of this? Shouldn't we not only not treat others in ways that we would not like to be treated but actually be proactive and treat others in ways we'd like to be treated? Shouldn't we want to love others and be loved by others? Shouldn't we want to understand others and then have others understand us? Shouldn't we love love?
I love you not by telling you so, not by thinking nice things of you, not by just being nice. I love you being getting to know what you understand to be love and showing you that love. I show you love by giving up of myself for you. I show you love by thinking of your well being more than my own. Love is shown by giving your life up for those you love. You can love anyone without knowing them intimately. You can love your boss by doing everything in a cheerful spirit, mainly if it is unpleasant things. You can love your friends by reminding them of their worth. You can love a stranger by acting in kindness. I can love you by sharing my heart with you yet Love is not something you just do, love is something you live. Love is life. Love gave up it's life for you. So live in Love. Live full of love. Live with love. Live your life in love :)
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