LOVE

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July 3, 2021

The following is a note that the Passion translation Bible includes with verse 1 of 1 Corinthians 13, the “Love chapter” of the Bible:

“The Aramaic word for love is hooba, and it is a homonym that also means “to set on fire.” It is difficult to fully express the meaning of this word and translate it into English. You could say the Aramaic concept is “burning love” or “fiery love,” coming from the inner depths of the heart as an eternal energy, an active power of bonding hearts and lives in secure relationships.”

We all know the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. But do you know what rule doesn’t exist? If you treat others well, they will treat you the same way. Unfortunately, reciprocal kindness is not guaranteed. Which is freeing, actually, because it allows us the opportunity to focus on the work. And the work is to bring more love into the world.

So, when someone you’ve cared for, mentored, supported, treats you poorly, verse 16 says to respond like a mother does to her sick child. Offer comfort and compassion and perhaps healing.

As a parent, I think a lot about what we expect from our children. I see a lot of parents expecting far too much- and I see the toll that takes on their kids. (We have at times been these parents, for sure.) So we are trying very intentionally to remember that we are the ones who signed up for this job. We chose to have them. They do not owe us anything, though we hope our love beckons forth love. We only want them to live, and be safe, and be happy. As we do all people.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we never offer boundaries. Thubten Chodron says that part of the loving attention we give includes structure and guidance. But we can’t expect people will receive it joyfully or gratefully every time.

This verse reminds me of the lojong slogan, “Don’t expect applause.” It’s a reminder of where to keep our focus. As Dilgo Khyentse says, “A true bodhisattva never hopes for a reward.”

Always choose love. Even if that love cannot guarantee a return on investment.

        Danielle Shroyer, beasoulninja.com

The great work of Love, according to Henri Nouwen:

“Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.”

She don’t dream about diamonds
She don’t care about gold
All she wants is her share of the harvest
From my heart and soul

She’s a light in the darkness
She’s the rhyme of the poem
She’s the song that I can’t stop singing
When I’m on my way home

She says, baby
We got all that we need
Don’t you worry ’bout a thing
We’ll make it through
I’m giving you the best of me

She don’t talk when she listens
Then she says what she means
There’s no cloud of contention
She runs pure, she runs clean

Well, she lives like she preaches
She is kind to the core
She remembers every word I’ve said
But she don’t keep score

I say, baby
We got all that we need
Don’t you worry ’bout a thing
We’ll make it through
I’m giving you the best of me

“The Best of Me” by Toad the Wet Sprocket

June 17, 2021

Warren Buffett’s advice for success:

The road to success comes from the daily habits we practice over and over again with rigor and determination. Some of it is counter-intuitive in the harsh, transactional business world where the takers greatly outnumber the givers. To Buffett, it’s what he has advised us to do for years because it has worked for him. Here are three to consider:

1. Invest in yourself

“By far the best investment you can make is in yourself.”

This may be the most valuable of all lessons from the Oracle of Omaha. To make the most of your investment means never stop acquiring knowledge — the kind of knowledge that betters yourself as a whole person, not just as an investor.

According to Buffett, one of the keys to your success is to go to bed a little smarter each day. By investing in yourself, like honing your communication skills, Buffett says you will “become worth 50 percent more than you are now.”

2. Measure your success by your ‘inner scorecard’

When setting the bar for your own goals, don’t fall for the trap of measuring it by other people’s measure of success. Instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses, measure yourself by one of Buffett’s most famous rules — your “inner scorecard”– which defines your own standards and not what the world imposes on you. 

The inner scorecard, a principle he learned from his father, comes from deep within and speaks your truth. It gives meaning to who you are, and how you naturally behave and see the world on the basis of your values and beliefs, not someone else’s. In short, it’s taking the higher road to achieve success because it comes from the heart. 

3. Your life’s success should be defined by one four-letter word

Love.

In the Buffett biography, The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, Buffett explains that the highest measure of success in life comes “by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you.”

You can die with the biggest bank account and the most toys, but if you haven’t left a legacy of good stewardship of your wealth and resources, “the truth is that nobody in the world loves them,” says Buffett. In the end, the ultimate test of how you’ve lived your life basically comes down to how far down to how far and wide your love was spread to impact the lives of others.

“The trouble with love is that you can’t buy it. You can buy sex. You can buy testimonial dinners. But the only way to get love is to be lovable. You’d like to think you could write a check: I’ll buy a million dollars’ worth of love. But it doesn’t work that way. The more you give love away, the more you get,” asserts Buffett.

Lennon & McCartney:

“All you need is love, love is all you need…”

“And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make…”

Being loved disarms us, brushes away our ego defenses, and then exposes us not only to the other, but to ourselves. And it is from ourselves that we most often hide our gaze.

 Everywhere the Holy One is shouting and whispering, “Let me love you.” And all that is asked of us is to receive. In reality, that is our life’s work. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.    –Judy Cannato