Big Brother Blog: The Simple Act of Loving Well

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Simple Act of Loving Well | The BridgeMaker

Posted: 03 Jun 2010 03:08 AM PDT

The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in. – Morrie Schwartz

Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.

Every day we get the chance to love well. Sometimes we take this chance; sometimes we ignore it and sometimes we are fortunate enough to receive it. Loving well is a simple, pure gift given from the heart. It doesn't require much planning or effort; it just requires the awareness to do it.

Loving well is about lifting our heads to see who is waiting beyond our reach. It's about being aware of the needs of others and, when appropriate, to place these needs before our own. To love well is an unselfish act of giving without considering what's in it for us. The simple act of loving well is the antidote when a heart needs some tender nourishment.

Learning to love well

My understanding and need of love has changed over the years. Even now I’m still learning how to love well as a father, son, sibling and of course as a husband. When I'm faced with the choice to love well, I remember these lessons:

Love cannot be rushed or forced. It has to be given the space to grow and breathe.
To love well is to celebrate the imperfections, too.
Love starts from the inside and then works out.
Love needs to take quiet breaks along the way.
To love well is to know when to stop talking and to start doing.
Love points to our hearts' true north when we feel alone.
Love never expires; only our ability to feel it.
To love well is to show more gratitude than disappointment.
Knowing how to love someone is more powerful than the best intention.
Love sees through the shame to acknowledge the beauty that lives within.
Love finds peace in the chaos.
The way we love ourselves shapes our confidence.
To love well is to look for an opportunity to be an encourager.
Love is the witness to goodness.
The best gift we can receive is to be given a second chance to love.
To love well is the point of being human.

Simple, one word acts of loving well

The act of loving well is not defined by how large we love, but by how we love gently, sweetly and simply. When we do this, love's wonderful message continues to fill our hearts with its grace. The simple act of loving well can sometimes be defined by just one word. While tremendous effort can live behind each word, the results of these words can be seen immediately:

Which one word touches you the most? What is one simple act of loving well you have provided or received? Please share in Comments.

Image courtesy of Brandon Christopher Warren

Want more BridgeMaker? Browse all articles Want the free report? Read 30 True Things You Need to Know Now Enjoy this article? Join The BridgeMaker on Facebook