The above words contain one of the most powerful truths of our existence.  Money and power can be used to obtain many of the things that we all seek in life. But the rich and powerful do not have any more access to love than the poorest and weakest among us.

Love is one of the most treasured forces known to humanity.  Almost everyone wants it, but some never seem to find it.  We are not talking about romantic love.  We are talking about true love for our fellow human beings.  What is true love?  We don't all agree on the answer to this question.  Some of us are primarily interested in being loved by others. We want to receive love, but we don't always necessarily want to give it. Victor Hugo's statement, "The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved," represents the thinking of many when it comes to love.

On the other hand, some feel that true love exists only when we care as much about the happiness of others as we do about our own happiness.  In the words of Henry Stack Sullivan, "When the satisfaction or the security of another person becomes as significant to one as one's own satisfaction or security, the state of love exists." Not all people meet this standard of love, but many do.  Could it be that true happiness comes more from loving than from being loved?  Can any of us be truly happy with only the conviction that we are loved?  Or must we work hard at loving others in order to be fulfilled?

Love certainly does not come easily.  It involves commitment, discipline, and lots of hard work.  We must be willing to suffer with those we love as well as rejoice with them.  And we must take the risk of losing those we love.  Some people are afraid to love others for fear they will get hurt. It is true that, if we never develop strong attachments to other human beings, we don't have to worry about losing loved ones. But isn't it better to accept the pain that comes from loving, along with the joy, than to refuse to love and be condemned to live without either the pain or the joy?  

Since power cannot command love, and money cannot buy it, only through individual effort can we experience love.  We all have the opportunity to experience love in our lives, but we must be willing to commit ourselves to engaging in loving relationships and work hard to develop those relationships.  The costs may be substantial, but aren't the rewards worth it? 

Copyright 2014 Allen Smith

TB-64—Posted  06/06/2014