This and That: The Phenomenon of Love

That is a fabulous way to say it, "The Phenomenon of Love."

Love is messy and confusing. It's part of the human experience. We are wired to desire and value love. Words cannot express love; it is a feeling. Love happens when your heart arrives in a certain

place.

By the way, who invented such a thing as love?

Answer: GOD! God is love (1 John 4:8).

God loved us first. God loves us unconditionally, regardless of our behavior or what we've done. He loves! Love is not a duty, but genuine feelings God Himself experiences.

FEELINGS of LOVE:

There are many facets involving feelings of love. The superior feeling of love is the planned and spontaneous expressions in benevolent charity. Other facets also include feelings of love in the setting of romance, parental, brotherhood/sisterhood, loyalty to a cause, and political, such as Joan of Ark had for her country of France. Sometimes, there is a love-hate relationship. I suppose we have all felt it. Please tell me I am not the only one!

By giving love, we open up a place where more love flows in. With each relationship comes, hope for the whispered sensation of bonding, today, tomorrow, and evermore.

Hope is the

Thing with feathers,

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune

Without the words,

And never stops at all.

-- Emily Dickinson

Please join me in saying,

"I sincerely want to experience the feeling of sincere love."

FORGIVENESS is LOVE:

Forgiveness clears the space for the light of love. When we truly practice forgiveness toward ourselves and others, we tackle the knots and tangles of past misdeeds and find love is the replacement. We begin to recognize the practice of true love, it requires us to master the art of forgiveness.

Mark Twain stated. "Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."

Let's work together to hold no resentments

and freely forgive where needed.

Forgiveness is a beautiful thing.

As I ponder a past adventure, I found love with its feelings and forgiveness all mixed in one afternoon's adventure. Yes, I also remember it being messy and confusing.

The day seemed pleasant and offered some relaxing time. Others at the South Fork Campground were busy either breaking camp or starting to set one up. For me, I was satisfied to stay in our camp trailer and be with the children. However, Hubby appeared at the outside door and beckoned me to come out of the trailer and join him. "Hey, its time for the two of us to have fun," he said with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

I responded with, "What do you have in mind?"

He whispered in a soft teasing voice, "To start off let's, take a stroll down the winding mysterious path."

"I can't leave the children!" was my curt reply.

His voice sounded authoritative, "Yes, you can I've made arrangements with our oldest and all will be okay; let's move it!"

Reluctantly I joined him by walking away from the trailer. Hubby's loving hand took mine; it felt good. I always desire and love his companionship. He led me to the river bank, where I spied two rubber innertubes he had borrowed from a camping neighbor. Hubby announced, "We're tubing down the river to have fun!"

MY VEHICLE

I found myself wading into the river, about chest high, where Hubby helped me situate myself in the tube, then cheerfully chimed out, "Happy Floating!" He gave me a shove and off I drifted. As I bobbed up and down to the cadence of the river, I found myself relaxing. I admired the view of the impressive, white, fluffy, clouds floating amid the blue sky, marveled at nature's beauty and the whiff of a campfire, and also savored the magnificent hushed environment along the river bank. I shifted my weight to look backward, making sure Hubby followed behind me.

WHAM! Darkness and confusion, along with powerful water moving and holding me upside down with no air to breath --TOTAL SHOCK! The tube had flipped over leaving me to scramble in the river's decisive current. In my struggle to upright myself, I felt a hand on my arm and a forceful pull. When I surfaced, a young girl, responsible for saving the tube from floating away and my rescue, smiled at me. I think I thanked her; however, I am not sure. It all happened so fast.

I became aware Hubby had jumped out of his tube and helped me to the river bank. I struggled to dry ground. With a tube over each of Hubby's shoulders, and drenched to the skin, he asked, "Are you all right?" Oh, the audacity of the man! What nerve! I nearly drowned in that river!

Heated with rage, I walked back to the trailer. No, I stomped with indignation, and a quickening pace, as water oozed out of my shoes, hair dripping water on my face and waterlogged clothes sticking to my body. Why? Why? Why did I listen to him? To me, the happy adventure ended as a total mess.

As I entered the trailer, the children sitting at the table looked up at me with wide eyes. I responded, "Don't even ask!" Then I hurried off to change clothes. When I returned, I spied Hubby sitting among our offsprings. He looked up at me with total kindness and understanding. My heart melted. He smiled and I responded to his love with an affectionate chuckle. Oh, what a confusing adventure we had. What did I learn? NEVER, NEVER shift your weight while floating in a tube! Also, resentments fly away on wings of tender forgiveness.

I feel love for another and from another.