Derrick was a man who always strived to follow a path of love. Many claim to do this, but he knew most never undrstood what it really meant. He learned what it didn't mean before he could properly understand what it meant. He learned:
Love isn't just an emotion... Nor is it as simple as calling it an action word. Love isn't expecting someone to devote themselves to you without them first giving you that promise. Love doesn't envy what another has. Love doesn't limit itself based on how well you know a person. Love doesn't hold grudges. Love doesn't discriminate (not even against your enemy). Love can't love another more than it loves itself. Love isn't vain. Love isn't without struggle/challenge. Love isn't boastful nor prideful. Love isn't about what it gets out of things. No one can truly stop or silence love. Love doesn't give up simply to make things easier. Love doesn't ignore truth to make life easier. Love knows that ignorance isn't bliss, but rather chains. Love does not revel in violence or hate. Love is not quick to anger.
After Derrick finished learning all those things love is not, he then had to learn what it is. What he learned when he was trying to learn what love is was:
Love is.
Love loves all equally regardless of who they are or what they've done. Although love is willing to sacrifice anything for another, life, time, money, items, health... It knows that it must take care of itself to take care of others. Love wants what is best for the ones it loves, even at the cost of it's own desires or feelings. Love perseveres through everything. Love accepts the truth and acknowledges it's nessissary for true freedom. Love shares itself and the truth in hopes to free others from lies and hate. Love acknowledges patterns as to not fall victim to them. Love is quick to forgive, as it knows unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
It took Derrick many years to learn the truth about love, and it's an ongoing struggle for him to live a life of love. He knows he still has more to learn and that the world always pushes back against what it doesn't understand or what is against what it teaches. And he knows the world teaches love is possessive, lustful, and controlling ~ all of which he knows is wrong.
What do you think about the way Derrick lives (or tries to live)? Would you like to hear how he came to this understanding? What about his current struggles in walking this path?
I know I haven't really told his story here, but both he and I would agree what I've said here is much more important than any story I could tell you about him. I hope you took something out of this that will help you have a better outlook on life.