There are times when we are timid and shy about expressing the
love we feel. For fear of embarrassing the other person, or
yourselves, we hesitate to say the actual words "I love you." So we
try to communicate the idea in other words.
We say 'take care' or 'don't drive too fast' or 'be good.' But
really, these are just other ways of saying 'I love you,' 'you are
important to me,' 'I care what happens to you,' 'I don't want you
to get hurt.'
We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want to
say, and the one thing that we should say, is the one thing we
don't say. And yet, because the feeling is so real, and the need to
say it is so strong, we are driven to use other words and signs to
say what we really mean. And many times the meaning never gets
communicated at all and the other person is left feeling unloved
and unwanted
Therefore, we have to LISTEN FOR LOVE in the words that people are
saying to us. Sometimes the explicit words are necessary, but more
often, the manner of saying things is even more important. A joyous
insult carries more affection and love within the sentiments which
are expressed insincerely
An impulsive hug says I LOVE YOU even though the words might be
saying very different. Any expression of a person's concern for
another says I love you. Sometimes the expression is clumsy,
sometimes even cruel. Sometimes we must look and listen very
intently for the love that contains. But it is often there, beneath
the surface.
A mother may nag her son constantly about his grades or cleaning
his room. The son may hear only the nagging, but if he listens
carefully, he will hear the love underneath the nagging. His mother
wants him to do well, to be successful. Her concern and love for
her son unfortunately emerge in her nagging. But it is love all the
same
A daughter comes home late, way past her curfew, and her father
confronts her with angry words. The daughter may hear only the
anger, but if she listens carefully, she will hear the love under
the anger. "I was worried about you," the father is saying.
'Because I care about you and I love you. You are important to
me.
We say I love you in many ways - with birthday gifts, and little
notes, with smiles and sometimes with tears. Sometimes we show our
love by just keeping quiet and not saying a word, at other times by
speaking out, even brusquely
We show our love sometimes by impulsiveness. Many times we have to
show our love by forgiving someone who has not listened to the love
we have tried to express.
The problem is listening for love is that we don't always
understand the language of love which the other person is using. A
girl may use tears or emotions to say what she wants to say, and
her boyfriend may not understand her because he expects her to be
talking his language. Thus, we have to force ourselves to really
listen for love.
The problem with our world is that people rarely listen to each
other. They hear the words, but they don't listen to the actions
that accompany the words or the expression on the face. Or people
listen only for rejection or misunderstanding. They do not see the
love that is there just beneath the surface, even if the words are
angry. We have to listen for love in those around us. If we listen
intently we will discover that we are a lot more loved than we
realize.
Listen for love and we will find that the world is a very loving
place after all:
LOVE is a happy thing.
It makes us laugh.
It makes us sing.
It makes us sad.
It makes us cry.
It makes us seek the reason why.
It makes us take.
It makes us give.
Above all else, it makes us LIVE.
It is not the presence or absence of people that makes the
difference because a person need not be lonely even if he is alone.
Sometimes it is good to be alone. But that does not make us lonely.
It is not a matter of being present WITH someone. It is a matter of
being present to someone.
So remember...
If you love someone, tell them. Remember always to say what you
mean. Never be afraid to express yourself. Take this opportunity to
tell someone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no
regrets.
Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they
have helped make you the person that you are today and are what
it's all about anyway.
Pass this along to your friends. Let it make a difference in your
day and theirs. The difference between expressing love and having
regrets is that the regrets may stay around.
