It takes a lot of courage and a strong character to love and to forgive.
It is so much easier to give in to anger, hatred, revenge and violence.
When I get hurt, it is easier to throw a fist rather than extend a handshake in forgiveness.
It takes greater strength of character to turn the other cheek during such moments.
True love is also tough love.
Love that is always soft and easy is a delusion.
It is easy to love those who love us and to do good by them.
I love to be in the company of those who have been generous to me.
It takes great will power and determination on my part
to do good things for those who cannot reciprocate or pay me back in kind,
to do great things for others and do it anonymously without seeking credit,
to spend time with and care for people who are smelly or dirty or unsightly or ungainly,
to give to those in need even as I am worried about my own needs.
Love that seeks only the happily-ever-after is a fairy tale.
Love that is only about lumps in the throat and butterflies in the stomach
is nothing but childish puppy love.
True love is about giving and forgiving, accepting and not trying to change the other.
And the miracle of love is to be transformed by those things I cannot change in the other.
Giving out of my abundance and excesses is not true generosity.
The true test of generosity is when it hurts.
Giving to others, expecting something in return is not true generosity.
It is a trade, a business transaction.
Giving that does not hurt is merely getting rid of my excess baggage.
True generosity is giving what I would want to keep for myself
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48