The English language in my opinion is the worst language for expressing emotions. Words in English don't carry enough weight. So much so that we have to add other phrases to express ourselves. Especially when we use a word like "love". The word can be used in too many ways.
For example:
I love Nigerian Fried Rice with Fried Chicken and Fried Plantains
I love my mom
I love making videos, writing, and podcasting
I love my siblings
I love making money and investing
I love (hope to say this in the future) my wife
Every single sentence uses the exact same word "love" but each sentence has a very different meaning. The way I love my mom is WAY different from how I would love my future wife. The way I love creating content is different than the feeling I get investing and also different from how I feel for food.
But enough of me bashing the English language.
The love I'm focused on is that romantic/familial love. I believe the Bible has the ultimate definition of this kind of love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, it says:
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.
Bruh this kind of love SUCKS!!
THIS TAKES SO MUCH WORK!!
Typically the way love is portrayed to us
it's in the movie fruity
happy go lucky,
happily ever after sense.
Where nothing seems to go wrong. But this love is literally the opposite of that.
This love says in order for things to work
It is on you to WORK on it.
It requires you to put yourself out there.
I mean it's talking about ALWAYS trusting, hoping, and persevering.
That is INSANELY HARD!!
The only true place I can say I've seen this love portrayed for me is in my parents. I've been lucky enough to watch them continue to (and by the grace of God will continue to) grow old together. Along the way, they've had to make major sacrifices. Now I'm not gonna say it's been all good. Cause my dad has done some nonsense to my mom and my mom to my dad. Regardless, they have both been able to "keep no record of wrongs" (or maybe not cause my mom be bringing up old stuff all the time 😂).
I also see it in the way they love my siblings and I.
Were they perfect?
HELL NO!!
I can tell stories of how they weren't patient or easily angered etc. But in total, they were always persevering and willing to put our needs above their own.
So when I think about love.
I think LOVE SUCKS!!
Because it is requiring me to do away with myself and say the needs of someone else are more important.
That BLOWS!!
HOWEVER, it's so DAMN WORTH IT!!
Like with building wealth and investing (y'all know there was no way I could go an entire post without talking about money lol). Great love requires Discipline, Patience, and TIME.
However, unlike investing it requires your Active Participation. So for anyone who is in a relationship (which is every one of us). Please do the work to ensure you are creating this kind of Love in your life because nothing is better.
I cannot explain to you why it makes life better. It is just better!!
Shoutout to my sister and her husband for showing me what support and trust look like
My best friend and his wife for showing me what it looks like to truly sacrifice for the one you love
My best friend and his (soon to be 🤞🏾) wife for showing me what support looks like
My sister and her friends for showing me what trust looks like
My brother for showing me what tough love looks like (a very underrated aspect of loving someone).
All for showing me why the work within a relationship is worth it.
Alright, enough sappiness. I will be back with the regular money stuff next week.
Remember GENEROSITY > greed
God bless Each and Every one of y’all
✌🏾