The Trouble With Love
After much analyses, I have figured out the problem with this
love thing. The problem is that it takes two to make it work.
Now the possibility that there are two people on the same planet
that could actually love each other is not that remote. The
problem is getting those two together. The current system to
search, select, and acquire this ethereal combination of mutual
love leaves much to be desired. The present system appears to be
one of chance, occurring at random, governed largely by
proximity and probability. The finality of the process doesn't
allow room for error. In the business realm, it would not be
considered peculiar to make public the availability of a
position, set criteria, and conduct interviews. This would seem
to reduce it to crude rudimentary elements in the realm of
personal relationships, seemingly to exclude the most apparently
critical element, that of two people who love each other. While
the current system is cumbersome, the alternative of advertising
in the classified section seems nonetheless commercial and crass.
Now love does exist in the unilateral realm, that is, one party
loving another party regardless of the whether or not that love
is reciprocated. Romance requires however that love must be
mutual between both parties to be legitimate. When one loves
another but the second party doesn't share the other's
affection, it falls under the category of infatuation rather
than love.
Let's examine the elements of love. Certainly appearance plays a
significant role. Both parties must mutually find the other's
appearance tolerable if not pleasing. Beyond the perception of
the object of our affection's appearance, other factors must be
recognized. Regardless of how pleasing their appearance may be,
ultimately personality is one attribute you can't ignore. You
must not overlook the behavior of your potential soul mate.
Beauty is merely the bait that attracts us but it is our
behavior that hooks and retains our affection. Regardless of how
powerful the forces that attract you, eventually that bond of
appeal will dissolve and disintegrate if the party of the second
part behaves intolerably toward the party of the first part,
you. Don't overlook common interests and especially values that
you both embrace. Disparate value systems will rend asunder the
strongest of relationships.
Now to address the matter of sex. Like love, it also requires
mutual consent. It cannot exist, one party independent of the
other. It requires the participation of both parties.
Only a benevolent Diety could have conceived the concept of sex
and awarded to his children this pinnacle of physical pleasure
that surpasses both procreation and recreation! Obviously our
Creator endowed us with more than simple biological functions.
He also instilled in us the ability to appreciate the
aesthetically pleasing. We live in a world rich in color,
variation, and beauty. We are able to enjoy a plethora of
physical sensations including sight, sound, and touch. We are
endowed with a certain innately instilled capacity that allows
us to appreciate the concept of the beautiful and the pleasant.
We are by no accident designed to be sensual creatures. While
there is merit in temperance and self control, we are undeniably
made to embrace and enjoy the lovely. Who can explain the beauty
of a sunset or the awe we feel when we gaze into the heavens at
night? Nature is replete with sights and sounds, the music of a
creation that soothes the senses. We are enthralled by the
singing of birds, lulled by the sound of a restless ocean, and
serenaded to sleep by a symphony of a thousand chirping
miniature musicians in the orchestra of the night. Truly God
richly giveth us all things to enjoy!
With this in mind, should we be surprised by the ecstasy of
sensual pleasure afforded the two willing participants in a
legitimate relationship within the confines of Hebrews 13:4. For
those of you who may not have a New Testament readily available
and would be hard pressed to get your hands on one in the
immediate future, I have enclosed the preceding reference for
your convenience. It reads,