Virtues of Love

Knowing that I am indeed a spirit in a human shell, and that I have free will to go in any direction I wish, where do I go from here? What is my ultimate destination? I want to elevate myself. I want to be closer to God, whatever God may be. All That Is, The Universal Power, the name we give it is irrelevant. The process of developing an intimate relationship with God is life’s challenge and life’s reward. This is how we learn to Be Love. This is why we are here. This is not a process which occurs overnight. It is a goal to work towards. Each of us can choose to work toward this goal at our own pace, or we can choose to ignore it all together. It is our choice. If you feel any desire to grow in this direction, I believe the following pages will be helpful and will explain my understanding of the virtues necessary to build human relationships founded in true, complete love. Although I have a long way to go, it is my goal to master these virtues. By practicing the knowledge I am now sharing with you, I aim not only to grow personally, but also to be an example, that we can all evolve toward the same goal. It is through our human relationships that we learn the skills necessary to build a real relationship with God. These skills or virtues that I am about to discuss are not new. They are taught in many cultures, religions and philosophies. What I am offering is my understanding of, and experience with, these important skills.
Some religions speak of the seven deadly sins and there corresponding virtues. Buddha speaks of three virtues; Tolerance, Compassion and Truth. Truth is pinnacle. Trust and honesty are vital in a healthy relationship. It is our choice to use them. Truth is bigger than just our relation to others. With our human eyes, we can not see Truth completely. We see all things with prejudice of our human perspective. Not even from the tallest mountain, can the whole world be seen by man. TRUTH is omniscient. With such limited perspective, it would be easy for us to say we are only responsible for the truth we know. It must be our own choice to listen to what we know is right inside, not what has been taught to us from others. COMPASSION is appreciation and respect. ‘Namaste’ is a greeting of respect. It is interpreted from Hindu to mean, ‘the Divinity in me perceives and adores the Divinity in you’. What a beautiful expression. Compassion is giving. It is an expression from within, a connection with the source. It is the Buddha nature. TOLERANCE is forbearance and fortitude. Three great strengths; Faith, Acceptance, and Forgiveness build Tolerance. Faith is a belief in Truth. Faith is a choice. With or without Faith, Truth will continue to exist.

Appreciation

Appreciation is recognizing value. In fact, when something is said to increase in value, it appreciates. A rare old coin buried in a jar has the same value as equal denominations. When it is recognized as special or rare, then it’s value increases. When we see every individual as unique, therefore extremely rare, we can appreciate their value. Value leads to respect. Respect, seeing the Divinity in others and in ourselves, creates a sense of equality and oneness. Respecting all life leads to compassion for all life. Compassion brings healing and wellness into the world.



Cost of Appreciation


Easier to want what I don’t have
Than to appreciate what I do,
I often wonder why I can’t acquire happiness
or why my wants and wishes
don’t come true.

When my wishes do come true,
I see more to wish for
Instead of gratitude.

When focusing on my wants,
it’s difficult to see
All of the gifts
I already have received.

Gifts we take for granted
are eventually taken away.
Value is more apparent
when loss is the price we pay.

So happiness comes from loss,
or so it would seem.
Until we are happy for ALL we have
happiness is still a dream.




Be content with what you have;

Rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking
The whole world belongs to you.
- Lao Tzu