Love, the verb (Growth)

Love. One of my three cardinal virtues.

I love, I show love, I express love, I act love. I am love. Love is me. We are intertwined.

The above is who I strive to be every day. I think this simple concept has the power to change the world. When I say love, I don’t mean the noun, which is feeling an emotion towards someone. I mean the verb, which is a behavior. This is when your actions and choices demonstrate to others that you care.

When we look at it from this perspective—love as a verb instead of a noun—we can express more of it. Sometimes, it can be hard to feel love as a noun, especially when someone has done you wrong. But regardless of who they are and what they have done, if we choose to show love as a verb, acting it out, I think we could make the world a better place.

Different people have different ways of expressing their love to others. For me, I use 1 Corinthians 13 as my definition of love. I especially love this chapter because it explains love as more than an action:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The above explains love as a verb. Love is giving attention and appreciation. Love is showing self-control. Love is active listening. Love is being authentic without pretense or arrogance. Love is treating others with respect and importance. Let's act; Love as a verb. 

Thanks for reading, Love.