When I think of nourishing the soul, I think of nurturing the ability to respond positively to life- that is the ability to sustain passion for our interests, values, and projects. I believe that the worst of all spiritual defeats is to lose enthusiasm for life’s possibilities.
Consider the case of romantic love. When two adults with significant spiritual and psychological affinities encounter each other, and IF THEY HAVE EVOLVED TO A DECENT LEVEL OF MATURITY-if they are beyond the level of merely struggling to make their relationship “work”- then romantic love can become a pathway, not only to sexual and emotional happiness but also to higher reaches of human growth. It can become a context for a continuing encounter with the self, through the process of interaction with another self Two consciousnesses, each dedicated to personal evolution, can provide an extraordinary stimulus and challenge to each other.
But such possibility presupposes self-esteem, and there are no levels of self esteem- you either have it or you do not (Maslow). The first love affair we must consummate successfully is with ourselves; only then are we ready for a relationship with another. A person who feels unworthy and unlovable is NOT READY for romantic love.
Thankfully, there are other kinds of love besides romantic love. What I feel for my children, grandchildren, and other relations is a different kind of love. What it has in common with romantic love, however, is that I see in my daughter, and grandchildren, values and traits that touch my heart. But it would be a corruption of the language to say that I “love” my child, and grandchildren the same as I “love” children whom I do not even know.
You ask “How do I bring love into my life?” My answer is that I try to focus, day after day, principally on what I care most about in this world-on what I most respect and admire. Although, I fully expect to live forever, personal tragedy has taught me to be always aware of our mortality. I know that I love someone, the time to express it is today. If I value something, the time to honour it is TODAY.
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