What's Love got to do with it?

Image by millzero.com via Flickr

When the world fails, and you know it will fail,
what way of life shall you live then?

When the governments collapse, and you know they will,
What power shall you rely on then?

When the dream of man reveals it's nightmare, and you already see that,
what dream shall you create then?

When the powers of earth lose control, and you know they are grasping,
what force shall you trust in then?

When someone comes forth to bring a new order, and you know it isn't your belief,
what faith shall you follow then?

When every man for himself will no longer put food in your children's belly,
and you see that time approaching,
What shall you do to nourish your Family then?

Inside us all, are there clues to our joint fundamentals.

Many of us are seekers of Good will.
Many of us are givers of Good will.

Only the principles that live on forever shall be reliable forever.
Only that which was before the beginning, and that which shall be after the end,
can a solid house be built upon.

Before Technology,
Before Science,
Before Society,
Before Governments,
Before Countries,
Before Armies,
Before Religions,
Before Tribes,
Before Culture,
Before Art.
Before Knowledge.

Before them all, and after them all will be the everlasting truth of Love.

Our culture todays treats Love as though it is a mushy, squishy, vain, lifeless, weak, foo-foo, feminine, girly-man idea only. Even now my own friends are looking upon my writing as though I have somehow gotten softer over the years. With my own ears have I heard them speak how they cannot even look upon my words because they are too wimpy for them.

Yet all the while, the very originator of love itself, is also the very originator of masculinity itself. Yet all the while the most powerful force in all the universe, responsible for the universe itself, proves continually that Love itself is the ONLY foundational principle of the universe that has been and always shall be.

Only the strong survives, all else, that is truly weak and truly despot fails.

Societies Fail,
Ideas Fail,
Governments Fail,
Man's Laws Fail,
Armies Fail,
Countries Fail,
Will fails,
The strong become weak and die,
The powerful become powerless and crumble.

Even a flower... can destroy the strongest man with an allergy.

Yet who has been destroyed by Love?

If there is a devil, then no doubt that force of vanity surly would put fear of love into the minds of men. No doubt that force of illogic would force upon another the idea of love as the weakness, rather then death as the weakness. No doubt Men and women would live within a time when love would be considered futile, unobtainable, indescribable, confusing, reckless, hurtful, and ultimately in vain. No doubt a pervasive and cunning idea would want men to become speakers of love, praising love, who actually know nothing about love at all! It works out well for death... that the only protagonists of love appear to be weak, unintelligent simple minded dolts living in a fairy-tale of unrealistic ideals. Yet love still is the only surviving force encompasing the universe as a whole. As every religion has thankfully not forgotten... it is truly the ONLY law there is.

Love itself removes the need for any other law.

No doubt if there is an untruth, devil, death, illogic, un-knowledge, force of ill-will in the universe... then that force would desire that we no longer remember what love actually is.

We try as we will to remember.

We write songs, poems, notes, letters, books, and create groups to recall actual love.
We seek, explore, discover, long for, ask for, desire, wish and hope for love.
We give, create, build, mold, shape, and try to grow love in another.

We do all we can continually for the sake of love.

Yet still do we seem to believe in love as vanity.

I believe our fundamental problem with love is that we see it from only one side at a time.
Either we are trying to give love, or we are trying to get love.

Love itself is a two way street.

They say that Love can change the world. And this is TRUE... but only if that love is received.

They say that all you need is Love, and this is TRUE... but you will not have it if it is not given.

How many of us have tried to GIVE love to a mate, a brother, a friend... who refused it?

How many of us have tried to GET love from another who would not give it?

It has been said that it is better to give, then to receive. This idea has long been mistaken for value of one over the other. It is not a lesson that receiving is wrong or somehow less valuable. It is a lesson which reminds us that through Giving, we also do receive, if our giving was done so purely for the intent to give... and not for the intent to purchase love or kindness from another. If I expect a certain response from you, then I am in effect doing a business transaction, rather then an act of love. If I desire that you should respond to my gift in a certain manner... then I am treating you as a whore, and wish to buy your affection.

IF however, i see in my own life how much I love it when someone scratches my back... and I go to scratch theirs because they itch... then I have given to another the very thing that I myself LOVE! In passing that on... I also give it to myself. BUT, if I have an expectation that YOU must respond a certain way... then I cut myself off from receiving my own love, in favor of receiving yours. Then my gift comes with a price that YOU must pay. Then my gift comes with an obligation on YOUR part... that YOU must conform to.

That isn't love.

Love must be received. It can however be received by the giver, to the giver.
If it is also received by the one who you have given it too... then the rewards are quadrupled.

Because in giving, you receive when done so with love.
And when received by another, they too understand and know your reception of self also.
You receive twice, and they receive twice... PLUS the gift given.

But if you demand they receive so that you can feel love, then you may or may not receive your own love back... AND you and them will only feel the effect of a good business deal.

You won't feel the effect of love.

I would venture to say, that any man who has lived a life where they give with any expectation of how it is received... has not ever known the effect of love. I would be bold enough to say they have only known the effect of purchasing a toy. Toys themselves will also fail, and are discarded. But actual LOVE never does.

One very large problem I have witnessed in my brothers, is that they lack the desire to receive love. Of course they would, when the love they have known has come with a Price! Would wants to be a prostitute? Who wants to be the family wallet? Who wants to have a HONEY-DO list? Who wants to be the arms and legs and labor worker of a family for payment of possible affection? I know of no one who desires this. I know of many who live this way. Men and women who give with expectation... BOTH create and support the culture of purchasing effecting at a price. Unfortunately for us all... that business deal is ALWAYS in negotiation and none of it has any security to it.

To give real Love is also to receive real love from within.
To receive real love is also to Give real love to ones self and to the giver.

Love given to one who refuses, does nothing for the receiver.
Love not given to one who is seeking, does nothing for the seeker.

We cannot force love upon another. The very principle of love forbids that possibility. Love must be received freely, and given freely... because Love is the foundation of Freedom.

The very best we can hope for, is to create love, and have that love received not only by us alone, but also by all. I am so blessed, to have a wife who receives love and gives love freely without desire for record keeping or score taking. It seems my life's work in myself is to wipe-out all those old ideas that Love is outside of me and something I must be worthy of.

We cannot use our will to master love, for love is the master of our Will, and not the other way around. Love is OUR teacher, and we are not the teachers of Love. Love is OUR ruler and commander, and we are not the rulers and commanders of love. Love is the gift of the Universe itself.

Love is the Universe itself.

by Ryan Ranney

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