The Many Faces of Love

Summary

As I reflected upon this thought my mind wandered to a different thought. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One thing for certain is that when we feel good inside, it is natural to see the good in others. It is also true that when we feel love inside, we will see that love in others.

You cannot perceive beauty but with a serene mind.
Henry David Thoreau

You usually don't have profound experiences at the dental office but this day was different. As the hygienist adjusts the back of the chair, I'm listening to meditative music on my ipod gazing at a magical poster on the ceiling-vivid colors in the sky as the sun sets-- beautiful rock formations jut out from the ocean. Underneath the poster is a quote by Henry David Thoreau.

You cannot perceive beauty but with a serene mind.

As I reflected upon this thought my mind wandered to a different thought. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One thing for certain is that when we feel good inside, it is natural to see the good in others. It is also true that when we feel love inside, we will see that love in others. Unfortunately too many of us are looking to find love outside of ourselves-it's an inside job that has its own language.

The Language of Love is the most powerful language on the planet. When I was younger, I used the words "I love you" sparingly because I didn't want to mislead my partner into thinking that I felt differently than I did. What I didn't realize at the time was that those words would always be difficult for me to express. Even when I tell those closest to me that I love them, these words have more charge than other words.

What I have found is that I use variations on those words. When signing a letter it is natural for me to sign it with "love" as opposed to "I love you." Some friends use the phrase "love ya." Sometimes with others, we'll occasionally end the conversation with "I love you" and then after the pause, a reply. "I love you, too." I might say, "I loved it" when referring to a movie or a book.

In the English language, we haven't created enough words that enable us to adequately express the various types of love that we feel.

We can look to the Greeks for wisdom in this regard. The love that two friends, who aren't lovers, experience, when touching each other's soul is referred to as Philos by the Greeks.

The special love for our family, which is different from any other love we experience, is referred to as Storge by the Greeks.

Spiritual love, or the love that is god is referred to as Agape. The physical love, when lovers embrace is referred to as Eros.

The language of love is an acknowledgement of a person's essence and their inner beauty. Put your own face on it. If you are not comfortable with the more accepted language of love, it is important to create your own language; a language that acknowledges others, their greatness, their gifts and their blessings. Perhaps it's with your eyes or your smile.

By becoming more comfortable with this language and using it more often, we can open the doors to deeper connection in our lives. We can also let go of the old patterns of criticism that have been preventing us from experiencing the intimacy we desire in our relationships.

It's an exciting journey with new opportunities being presented constantly. The Inspire Possibility Show has been one of these opportunities. I want to thank you for supporting me on this journey and for sharing Possibilities with those in your circle. And please let me know what your "language of love" is.

Thank you for being part of the Inspire Possibility Community during these past years, and I hope you will encourage those in your circle to also become part of the Community. If you haven't done so already, become a fan of Inspire Possibility on Facebook.

You can also tune into the Inspire Possibility radio show on the BBS Network. The show is syndicated on most major podcasts. Take a Listen. There are over 150 conversations with some amazing people. Be sure to listen to the conversation with the visionary Lynn Andrews. You can subscribe to the show on ITunes or just go to the podcast app on your smart phone and search for the Inspire Possibility Show. Or even easier just google me and it will come up.

You know I love to hear from you. Feel free to share Possibilities with those in your circle. Until then,

Embrace this great mystery, this great adventure, called "Life."

Journey ON

Mark

I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive. Joseph Campbell

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If you are curious to find out how Mark can make a difference in your life both personally and professionally, you are invited to contact him.