"Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life"- Leo BuscagaliaThe third secret is to become love, so says the author John Izzo.
(Read the 1st and 2nd here and here)This love is not about love as a emotion, it is the choice to be a loving person.
And how do you do that?
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| The Third Secret: Become Love |
1. Love YourselfA StoryAuthor interviewed a young man who had father suffering from mental illness, who later on committed suicide. For many years that young man carried within himself a deep sense of responsibility for his father's illness and a sense of unworthiness that came from the fear that he too will become mentally ill.
It was not until his adulthood that he realized that he he spent great deal of energy trying to prove that he was worthy. He planted weeds in his subconsciousness that told him that he is unworthy.
Then through a period of self reflection, he realized that as an adult he has the power to love himself. He can choose not to indulge in the thoughts of self contempt.
LessonCan you let yourself get hypnotized by your own self defeating thoughts, when you have the option to love yourself by changing your thoughts!
As Oscar Wild said, "To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance"!
2. Make love a priority A StoryIn one of the interviews, an old man told the author, "I spent most of my life on things. People always came in a distant second in terms of my priorities. Now I realize that my BMW doesn't come to visit me in the nursing home"
LessonIf we make loving relationship a priority and if we treat those closest to us with love, we find happiness.
3. Choosing to see others with kindnessWhen people are first together they focus almost entirely on the things they like about the other person. But overtime people focus more and more on the things which irritate them about the other person rather than what they like.
A StoryJim was happily married for 65 years. Every year for their entire married life he has sent her red rose on the anniversary of his first date rather than their wedding anniversary. As he said, "It is as much for me as it is for her. When I send them every year, it reminds me that through all the ups and down of marriage, I must never forget why I fell in love with her in the first place".
LessonPerhaps each of us must continually look for the "red roses" in those we love, focusing on the things that are good about them.
A question you should ask yourself: Am I kind and loving towards the people closest to me?
Do I act with love towards myself?/ Do I engage in negative self talk?
I hope this post helped you in answering these questions. Do like us on facebook. And feel free to drop your comments.