“Most of us long for stronger, more creative and rewarding ways of loving each other.”

Bestselling American author and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson says: Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here. Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them.

Join Terry Lees on Silver Linings as he shares the message of love. It’s not a pipe dream – as crazy as things can get, love can abound in your life. Love is for better or worse. Love is our natural state. Love is what we are born with, the sheer joy available in this present moment when we are open and receptive to the world.

Listen to the episode below, or continue on to read the transcript.

Episode Transcript:

“Most of us long for stronger, more creative and rewarding ways of loving each other.”

Once in a while, a person steps out from the crowd with a message so powerful that you simply cannot ignore it. That person is Dr. Leo Buscaglia. At a time when things are becoming increasingly impersonal, when electronic gadgets have taken the place of face-to-face embraces, when families are embittered and fragmented, a message of Leo’s is more important than ever – the message of love. It’s not a pipe dream – as crazy as things can get, love can abound in your life.

In Loving Each Other, Leo Buscaglia examines the complexities of human relationships and the dynamics of loving relationships. It’s becoming an increasingly impersonal world. There is less and less chance for human contact with all our electronic gadgets that get in the way. Leo teaches us how to truly be fully human with all the laughter, tears, hugs, and graciousness that come along with the human experience.

What are the qualities that people value most in others? Leo undertook his own personal survey to find out.

Far and away the most cherished quality in a loved one is the ability to communicate — to say what he or she feels and means. Why is it, Leo asks, that such a simple, natural thing can be so difficult? Leo also analyses other qualities important in maintaining close, loving ties. He shows how vital honesty is … the continual need for compassion and forgiveness … when to “let go” and not succumb to jealousy … and the challenge of maintaining loving relationships.

In Loving Each Other, Leo teaches that: Many of us actually feel guilty when we are happy!

We must embrace each other fearlessly. Hugs are addictive — once you start, it’s a hard habit to break — and no one has ever died of an overdose. Too much happiness is lost in the pursuit of it.

We avoid commitment because we are afraid it will destroy our individuality and our freedom.

There is no better way of coming together than through laughter. Life was meant to be lived in surprise. If we are unable to forgive others, we cannot expect others to forgive us.

Bestselling American author and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson says: Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here. Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.
The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle. We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.

Love isn’t a feeling, it’s a DOING. It’s about giving, without counting the cost, without any expectation of receiving in return. It is love that drives us to do all we do, say and desire.

Love is a choice, not a feeling or an emotion. It is a decision you make every day of your life. Even when your loved ones doesn’t take out the rubbish, or spends too much time at the shopping centre, or when your new haircut or outfit goes unnoticed, or when poor financial decisions set you back—you can still decide to love.

Love is for better or worse. Love is our natural state. Love is what we are born with, the sheer joy available in this present moment when we are open and receptive to the world. Love is expansive — opening up, creating endless possibilities and unconditional to surrounding circumstances. It is vulnerability at its finest, knowing that no matter what happens, we are living life to its fullest.

Choosing to love isn’t always easy, but it is worth the effort.  Here are some ways you can choose to love on a daily basis:

Let go of the little things. If you are truly honest, you’ll realise most of them are little things.

Give more than you take in your relationship. Love without strings attached.   Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Look at the world through your mate’s eyes. Seeing things from their perspective helps you better understand their actions and motivations.  Pay attention to your loved ones. Look at them and focus on what they are saying or doing.  Before you blame, examine yourself first.

Let it be okay that you don’t see eye-to-eye on everything. Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree.  Accept and celebrate your loved ones’ differences and uniqueness. Face it—you can’t change them, but you can change your attitude about their peculiarities.

Validate your loved ones’ feelings. Don’t try to “fix” their perspective or contradict them. Accept their feelings without judgment or correction.  Hold hands.   Work as a team.

Be flexible with your loved ones. While consensus is always the goal, sometimes we have to bend to the other’s wishes.  Share your vulnerabilities and fears with your loved ones. A load carried by two is easier than one carried alone.  Be faithful to your loved ones, both emotionally and physically.

Don’t hide things from your loved ones. Trust is fragile—handle with care. Send love notes—a card, text, voice mail, or message on a sticky note or the bathroom mirror will do.

Laugh.  A lot. Accept and love your loved one’s family and friends. Schedule time alone together, even if it’s just a walk around the block or drive in the country. Love yourself. You can’t decide to love another until you can decide to love yourself.

“Love is patient.” That means love extends grace. You can offer grace to others. So it is not surprising that when we open to grace – the pure, free gift of God’s love – there will be benefits we will experience and recognise in our bodies, in our minds, and in the way we relate to other people. Those are the benefits, but we can see these benefits to be signs of grace.
Love never stops believing. That means it expresses faith. You tell someone, “Even though we’re having a tough time, I will never stop believing in you.”

Love never gives up. That means love endures the worst. It means you can look at the other and say, “You can throw everything at me, but I’m going to keep loving you, no matter what.”

You enrich your life by loving others, and you draw people to you who will, in turn, further enrich the quality of your life.

I’ll give Marianne Williamson the last word: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.

Look for the silver lining.

This is Terry Lees

[Music:  Living on Love – Alan Jackson]