LOVE – FOURTH PILLAR OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Love makes our World go round and round. And true love starts first with loving thy self. All we need to do is stop destroying ourselves, with constant self criticism, negative thoughts and comparing our self to others.

As a child we are taught that, to do well was not good enough, we must also be good. Similarly to talk about love is not good enough, we must also love. Love as an act, as a hypocritical, unfelt duty is not love at all. Love as a thought, or as a spoken word from a mountain-top, or etched on a stone, or formed as a rule in the family, or ordained as a collective notion in a group, is not love. But, ultimately there is love. Love is what we find at the end of a dark and hopeless tunnel and knows it to be the very point from where we began. Love is as true and as needed as bread, cloth and roof above our heads, and I assure you that more people die because of lack of love rather than because of lack of bread. Love is but a magical touch of God.

Principally only two things motivate a person into action – Love and Fear. The question is on a scale of 0-10, what motivates you more? If it is fear, then you will be compelled to act, and act clumsily. But, if you are motivated by love, then you will choose to act, and act out of freedom. Like Kahlil Gibran said, ‘Love has no desire but to fulfill itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. Love exists for the sake of love alone’.

Love is the most talked and written subject, but the least understood. Everyone is here and now because they are supposed to be, don’t try and wish away anyone. Be grateful that they are here and now with you to help you complete your karmic cycle as well. By their mere presence they help you be alive and express who you are; kind, loving, considerate and courageous. Just imagine what a boring life it would have been if you were in this big vast world all by yourself and no one to love or care for. I have experienced love, not in tenderly looking at my beloved but at looking together at a common goal. It is like those clouds on a mountain top on a rainy day, coming softly but taking, absorbing every iota of your being. Love for me is not conditional but an acceptance of all that I like as well as all that I don’t. For me it is an epitome of infinity, removing all sense of time and space, destroying every memory of pain, and fear of the future. It is an endless act of patience, tolerance and forgiveness. There would be times when you lose time, opportunity, money, prestige and even honor, but, you will survive; it is only when you lose love and hope is when you die. Love is all pervading, and if we don’t love someone then it means we don’t love our self either. Whenever I searched just within I have lost myself; and whenever I have seen myself in others I have found myself. I have realized that only in getting out the best from someone I come alive. Like I always believe, what you say or do for me is not as clear to me as who you are. Your gesture, your body-language, your look, your tone, your pitch of voice, and your attitude speak volumes about who you are. All your masking is not the view, but it allows for the viewing.

When we are born, we are born with an eternal need to be loved, and a need that never outgrows us. But, than that is what makes us rich and happy; for when you love another, you shall be happy – the fact is as simple and as difficult as that. Let your flame of love light your life.

The greatest mistake that I have ever made is, when I have lost belief in myself and so limited my options. I have noticed on more than one occasion that I am not as true to myself as I am with others. I have sometimes lost my integrity, but what gives me strength is the fact that I acknowledge my loss in integrity and thus recreate it. There are times when in the past, I have stooped low enough to please others in spite of my true feelings, and what would have made me like myself is to understand that even though at the core we all are same, at a superficial level we are different individuals, and it is OK to say so. Whenever I have respected others it is evidently seen in my thoughts, words and deeds. Love has no need to be an exhibit; it can be seen in every gesture and every muscle, when your heart is over-flowing and your mind is open. Love allows two different people to walk in different directions yet remain side-by-side. The final test of a working relationship is to disagree yet walk hands-in-hands.

We all are like the jig-saw puzzle with a missing piece; incomplete without one-another and the missing piece being – love. If we don’t judge others, than we don’t judge our self; if we accept our self, than we accept others as well. It is only when we see the differences, and accept them in totality, we continue to be in love and experience joy. Love comes with taking responsibility for your life rather than shirking it off.

Research has proved that love for others make people live longer & better, have a better access to health care, enjoy a more satisfying sex life, experience less stress, have a higher self-esteem, and live a healthier lifestyle. They also have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep problems, depression, lower incidences of cold & flu and many more ailments.

Without love you would long yourself out of existence. To live on, to be healthy and to be happy keep loving others as well as yourself!

Life is, most of all, about love – follow your heart, live out your dreams, smile, be happy, see the good in everyone you meet and rise above those who try to make you feel low. Fill your heart and fill your soul – love, no matter what, is always the answer. – Emma Heatherington

LEAVE A COMMENT

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *