L is for...
Eli Bohemond
International Career and Leadership Coach | Altruist | Speaker & Workshop Facilitator | Creating Access to Career Education for High School Students | Infusing Compassionate Leadership in Corporate Settings
I was listening to Nat King Cole’s song L-O-V-E and became agitated at how simply Love is depicted.
I thought about some of the personal experiences I’ve had in my relationships and I became inspired to write the following excerpt on Love:
L is for the Laborious nature of relationships, demanding a high degree of effort from both individuals
O is for the Openness to changing tired habits resulting in the betterment of one’s self for the other
V is for the Vast amount of patience, empathy, and tact required to instill a mutual desire for growth
E is for the Exploration of a harmonious life together through the daily affirmation of LOVE in all of its beautiful complexity
Love necessitates that words and actions complement each other
One cannot simply say, “I Love You” and then act in manner that coveys an opposing message
We all fall victim of such crimes against Love’s mandate, saying one thing, but doing another
It becomes a joke that we willingly play on ourselves and on our spouse/partner/family/friends
Creating lasting negative imprints that we try to spackle over with apologies
It is true that you can cover up a wound with an “I’m sorry” or “It will never happen again”
But underneath the surface, the initial impression you made still exists
Those actions you failed to follow through on and the verbal daggers you threw in anger at your loved one
They created holes that are invisible to the naked eye.
Depending on your choice of weapon and frequency of attacks, you may have created a few tiny cracks or potentially a deep crevice.
Time helps to fill these voids, but not Time alone
These spaces, where you’ve picked away at one’s self-worth, become filled with vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities that can only be replaced with acts of love
Actions that counter-act your original words, but not just one act of kindness, maybe not even one hundred will suffice
It is human nature to focus on the negative?—?just look at the media
How many horror stories do you hear before you come across something uplifting?
How many times have you been righteous and just, but the one time strayed from that path of righteousness, that mistake begins to define you?
The most effective way to prevent tarnishing relationships, is to meditate on the consequences of what you are about to say or do
It’s one of the many lessons you are taught as a young child that still rings true today
If you say “I Love You”, live those words and act in Love.
