Elvis...

I was listening to a CD of Elvis the other day, his love songs, and, as I listened to his words, I couldn't help notice how sad the lyrics were. It got me thinking of other "love songs" and how many are so sad, or about unrequited love, failed relationships, broken hearts... We should rename them "love-lost songs". But more importantly, it got me to thinking how important love is to our lives. To be loved gives a sense of belonging; it give a sense of security that I am accepted despite my scars and warts and shortcomings. It means that I am not alone emotionally. Man is a social creature, and was not created to walk alone through life. Love is an essential ingredient in our happiness.

I tried to think of someone I might know, or know of, that seemed truly happy yet wasn't loved by anybody. No one came to mind. And I thought of all the people who seek to be happy, who seek fulfillment or contentment through work, or fame, or acomplishment, through humanitarian acts, relationships, partying, friends, any number of ways to fill their time. Yet the answer is so simple. You want to be happy? Love. Love and you will be loved.

To really love though, to love that brings joy, pure love is messy. Too often people try to love neatly- they love with their own imposed limits, they apply restrictions to what they'll give, and that doesn't work. You're ultimately short-changing your happiness. Love like Jesus loved, without judgement, without prejudice, without reserve. Jesus never judged anyone that he wasn't willing to die out of love for first. (And for that matter, the only people Jesus really judged were the religious leaders of his day; now there's food for thought). To learn to love with total abandon is messy, because those that need love the most are rarely a neat package. But to love, and have that love returned is a joy that cannot be contained. Love, true love, is contagious, and can't be contained. It just spills out into every area of our life, and it's fun, and happy, and people respond, even when they don't want to. Because it's contagious. Get love, get happy. Spread the disease.