Love, Fear, Options.

My Lola used to always tell me that you can't grip onto the things you have; otherwise the blessings fall on closed fists.  But if your hands are always open, ready to give, then you will always be ready to receive.

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Love gives options; fear does not.

If you operate in fear, there is only one option: to be in control.

Fear tells you all kinds of things, especially all the opportunities for failure, disappointment, and rejection.  Fear insists that if you relinquish control, everything will fall apart like a mad crisis, and you will be left alone, possibly rejected, potentially hated.  And fear convinces you that all those maybes are likely's.  Fear gives you one option, and that option is a lie.  But Fear won't tell you that.

Love, however, gives options - because to live in Love is to live in freedom.

That's the crazy thing about Love.  It gives with hands open- which means, after all you give, and pour, and sacrifice, this Beloved in your hands could very well fly away and never love you back.  But you never choke it into submission.  You never worry of its return.  You let it choose its home.  You let it choose whether or not it wants to love you back, or stay receiving, and either which way, you keep on giving.  Love always presents the Truth, and never without force or doubt or anxiety, but in hope, in trust, in faith.  Love is courageous like that.

But we slip into fear because when we don't know tomorrow, we aren't in control.  So fear pressures, and threats, and manipulates.  We'll make little compromises, simmer some depression - and we lose sleep over our irrational concerns, plotting all the possible outcomes, and how we can have the last snappy punchline.  

Not love.  Not real Love, at least.  It doesn't manipulate, but it knows how to correct, confront, reveal - beside accountability, mercy, and affirmation.  It doesn't compromise, it sacrifices.  And maybe it will touch sadness, but it will understand hope.  Love rests with peace, and wakes with joy.  It listens with humility and speaks with wisdom.  And you may never know what tomorrow brings, but you can bank that a heart full of love is ready to respond to anything.

Fear holds back; Love releases.

And when Love lets go, there's always more room to be loved in return.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Galatians 5.13-14

xo

currently listening: Beautiful Eulogy, Satellite Kite