I don’t know about you, but there are times I find it hard to love people. I want to love them. I really, really do, but sometimes I just don’t know how and if I get it wrong, I tend to beat myself up about it.
When my kids are exhausted, and I hold my boundaries, sometimes they turn all their frustration toward me. It’s easier to loose my cool than to stay calm, but when I stay firm AND full of compassion, I am learning how to love.
My tendency in heated discussions with Scott, is to completely shut down. But if I stay engaged, I’m learning how to love.
When a friend sees the world differently than I do and is insistent that we agree, sometimes I want to unload all my thoughts and beliefs, but when I just listen, I am learning how to love.
At the end of the night, after I’ve finally tucked the boys in, when my sweet, twelve-year-old dog Walter wants to come downstairs . . . and he wants to be carried, I am learning to love.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about love, it’s this:
The only way to learn how to love, is by loving.
Just like learning anything else in this life, you learn to love by practicing. The great thing about learning to love is that you have plenty of opportunities every single day to learn to do it better. If you tweak your perspective just a little bit, I bet you’ll find some grace for yourself when you don’t do it right the first time.
After all, we are all still learning.
Go practice loving someone today.
to more love,
Crystal
