In Love

     To be in love or "in" it at all? That is the question. What is meant by the phrase "in love"? What does it mean to be in love? Firstly, if to be in love as the world means it, then I have been in love several times.
     Several times I have felt the feeling of wanting to be near someone. Several times the feeling, the rush, of when that person came to a meeting where I also was, washed over me. Several times I felt happy with that person was close and sad when the individual left. Several times my heart beat fast, wanting to stop altogether for sheer happiness. It is a thrill. It is stressful. It is a sudden onslaught of emotion. There is nothing like it in the world. And it is fantastic.
     On the other hand, how does one define "in love?" Love is not a substance. Love is not jello. It is not a swimming pool. It is impossible to be in love. There is familial love. There is attraction. There is desire. And there is a Greater Love. But none of these can be described as in love.
     So is being in love just a strong emotion? Just another part of my over-emotional life that I should completely disown because I cannot trust my emotions? When my emotions control my life, things get out of hand, out of control and I regret it later. Emotions are enemies of logic and reason. To be in love is to be silly. To be in love is to be vulnerable. To be in love is to risk heartbreak.
     And yet I cannot deny what I have felt. Though I must keep my emotions in check, they are, after all, one of the things that make the crazy life of a human enjoyable. As I said, it is a thrill. The happiness while there, the worry while away. To be in love is to be human.
     So fall in love. Be bold and offer your heart to a person of your choice. (If you want to stay safe, get a dog or a cat and stick with loving pets.) Be prepared to hurt. Be prepared to be heartbroken. Expect it. But don't let it stop you. Enjoy the happiness, but remember that people fall out of love just as fast as you can fall in love. Note that it will end. Keep yourself just out of arms reach. Understand that real love is a choice and that it is permanent. It is like an evergreen tree. The only way to get rid of Love is to kill it. (And even when that was tried long ago it didn't work.) While being in love is like a day-lilly. It opens, soaks in the sun, and dies. It does not last, but it is beautiful.
     Fall in love. But love wisely. Enjoy your emotions, but don't let them rule your life. Learn the Greater Love, and when you "fall out of love" you will bounce right back. I know. I've done it. It's not impossible. Far from it. It's human to fall in love. It's human to hurt. But it's God's love to love again.

Silver Line