How Do I Love Thee?

When I attended the traditional churches they led me to God. Thank you churches! One, the Baptist religion, gave me some marvelous hymns, taught me about Scripture, about Jesus, and God's love.

Then later I was awe stricken by the Catholic faith. The reverence for God tugged at my heart. The quiet and individual opportunity to connect with God through the sacraments and daily Mass beckoned to me. The kneeling, genuflecting, and physical movements combined with the other rituals involved more of my entire self in the church service. I liked that. There was something so powerful that called to me. It also led me to eventually read St. Teresa of Avila, St. Theresa the Little Flower, St. John of the Cross, the Dessert Fathers, The Cloud of Unknowing, and many more up to eventually to more modern thinkers in the Catholic Faith, Thomas Merton and Fr. Anthony DeMello whom I had the privilege of actually hearing in person. Mother Church was where I eventually was introduced to “centering prayer”. Thank you Mother Church for all you gave me.

I visited other churches and beliefs since then and each had a gift for me. But what counts the most I think is that eventually if you keep at it and this is your goal, you will eventually be helped to understand HOW to love God and how to love yourself and others as God loves. The how to do it was the next thing to learn.

Much of the other stuff I have exposed myself to since then has bit by bit given me all kinds of help and clues as to the how. Some information hasn't always come from church. Some has been from other religions and philosophies, sociology, psychology, and, yes, hold onto your hat, metaphysical teachings. I am grateful for all of these. Had I not been willing to explore and sometimes go out on a somewhat shaky limb I might have missed some great opportunities with regard to that.

Do I love myself and others with unconditional love all the time? No, I don't. I go to default a lot but I do know that I seem to be able to do it much more often than not now. I catch myself quicker when I realize I have strayed and am about to "miss the mark".

So, this morning I am full of gratitude for all the things that have brought me to where I am now and that would include all of life's experiences that I labeled bad as well as the ones I labeled good no matter where they came from.

I like to think of things this way: We practice being spiritual persons while being fully human. It's an on-going process and it takes determination and dedication. It doesn't seem to be a goal or a mission that a lot of people make but that does not mean they should. I just know it is for me. It feels right and my life seems to have purpose and meaning, is more joyful and runs smoother when I practice it and have it as my goal and my desire. My goal hasn’t been to be a good Baptist or Catholic or anything else but rather to allow Love to awaken in me and love through me. My belief is that all of Jesus’ teachings and the commandments can be summed up and carried out through that one most important and first step. It is in this way that we become the Love that we are.

How do I love thee? The very best I can in any given moment.

And so it is.