Wednesday, February 2, 2011

LOVE

February, one of two months in the year that makes single people cringe at the thought of being single. To be honest, I'm chill about it, but while this term "LOVE" gets thrown around over the next couple weeks, I thought I'd make my best effort in describing what it means to me.
For starters, my sister Rachel sent this to me today, and I liked it


“Opposition turns up almost anyplace something good has happened. It can happen when you are trying to get an education. It can hit you after your first month in your new mission field. It certainly happens in matters of love and marriage. … There are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. … Face your doubts. Master your fears. ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence.’ Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you." -- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Sometimes we let our mind cripple something that could be potentially wonderful. If we overthink, we're going to overdo. I guess the same goes for underthinking. Either way, LOVE is made by learning to make it through those doldrums, as long as both people are living correctly!

In my portuguese class, we have to compare a couple of love ballads. One is by Camões titled "Love is a fire that burns unseen". The other is Paul's epistle to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. I'll make my best effort at interpreting:
Amor é um fogo que arde sem se ver

Love is a fire that burns unseen
It is a wound that hurts, yet goes unfelt
It is a discontent contentment
It is pain that rages without hurting

It is not wanting what is much wanted
It is walking alone among many
It is never happy with just being happy
It is an idea that wins in losing itself

It is wanting to be held captive with your will
It is serving who wins, the winner
It is being with them who kill, in loyalty

But how its causes can hold favor
In the hearts of mankind's friendship
If exactly the opposite is the same LOVE

In comparison my interpretation of Paul's words are as follows:

No matter how strong my words might be, if I don't have a perfect LOVE, my words
have lost their power
And having the gift of prophecy, understanding all mystery and having all knowledge, and even having enough faith to move mountains, without a perfect LOVE, I am nothing
Even though I give to the poor and would sacrifice my own body to be burned, without perfect LOVE, it doesn't help me at all
A perfect LOVE suffers an infinite amount of patience, it is ever kind; perfect LOVE doesn't envy; perfect LOVE doesn't brace or lift itself up, and is not self absorbed
It doesn't violate its good standards, doesn't look out for itself, is calm in the face of anger, and has wiped its mind of all evil
It cannot rejoice in iniquity, instead rejoices in truth
It is ever-bearing, trusting, hopeful, and enduring in all things

Perfect LOVE never ends: in contrast there are prophecies that are fulfilled, tongues that finish, and memories fade.
Because we know partially, and we prophesy partially
But when perfection arrives, the individual pieces are insignificant
When I was a child, I spoke, understood, and thought as a child; as a man I put away childish things
Right now peering through a mysterious mirror; face to face; now I know in part, but then I know even as I am known.
Now remain faith, hope, and perfect LOVE, these three; the greatest of these being that perfect LOVE!


Paul's rendition is obviously a bit more inspiring, but Camões isn't too far off of my feelings at times. Many have tried to define LOVE in so many ways.

How do you show LOVE? Physically? In action? In word? In service? In example? In consent?

When it all comes down to it, there's two perfect descriptions shown by Our Savior:


-and-


He really is the example of perfect LOVE, and if we follow him, no matter how cliché it might sound, we'll be on track to developing and enjoying this LOVE.

And you really thought I was going to blog about dating? Pshhh, that's a LOVE I just don't comprehend, but hopefully will soon! All I know is that for some reason when you want it, she runs. When you don't want it, she finds you. When you're ready, she's not. When she's ready, you're scared. That's the gist on my experience with LOVE, ha!
But there's a deep sense in me that there's something beautiful ahead...
I love the temple, and I love the hope it gives me. The temple is all about LOVE: God's Love for us, Our LOVE to our family, and our everlasting LOVE to an eternal companion. That is the LOVE that transcends all romantics! It'll come in due time, I'll be ready so she can recognize me and I can recognize her!

Here's Angels and Airwaves' latest attempt

Some Origins of Fire (ending)
So heres my heart

It's only the cycle
It's deafening though
This age old recital is king of all sounds
There is no release, free, we are silently numb
A sole, lonely wave with the weight that's yet to come