Love is not meant to be defined. Nor, it is meant to be explained. Love
is just meant to be experienced by people capable of loving. Even without
defining or explaining what it means, those who love understand what love is.
And even if without understating it, people who are in love and are committed
to love, find love as the source of hope and inspiration in life. Hence, if one does not love, he/she will never
understand the meaning of love nor find life meaningful.
But the question is
where do we find love? Based on my title, it should be found in the family. And
it is the family that is the true sanctuary of love. In this blog I will be
sharing my reflection on love as the binding force that sustains the family life.
Indeed, it is love that keeps the family going in the midst of life’s trials
and hardships - and the family is the sanctuary of love. The two are
inseparable elements of human life.
Looking back to my early
childhood, it was never easy for our parents to provide us, their children at
least our basic needs. The only source of living by our family at that time was
fishing, since my father was a fisherman. I could still remember my younger
brother and I would sell a few catch my father had from a half-day sacrifice
under the burning-heat of the sun in the middle of the sea. I don’t want to be
sentimental here and so let me do a fast-forward - the family was able to
survive. By the way, we are eight children, seven brothers and one sister. And
I am the eldest…
Now, going back to my
main purpose in writing this blog that is, sharing with you my reflection on
how love played a role as the binding force of our family life. I can only
recall one instance that our parents had a fight. Okay, I need to explain a
little what I meant by fight here. It
means that my father and mother had an argument, of course with few shouting
and crying, a little of angry faces, and so on… Did I say “one instance” only? Yes,
as far as I can remember, only once did I witness my parents having a fight. Of
course, they might have other fights I did not witness. But how are they now? I
can tell you, that they are still very sweet to each other even when they are
now on their 50’s. This must be love, and it must be true love.
Indeed, love is such a
wonderful feeling that hurts when hearts fail to understand what it means, even
if it is not meant to be understood. I know that the love my parents have for
each other is not perfect love in the real sense of the word. But their examples
are strong enough to convince me to believe that it is possible for love to
last even for a lifetime. In the first place it was the love of our parents that
made us, their children, see the value of a happy family. I still do not
understand what love really is. But I believe that love is real…
To end my sharing, I would like to
offer a short prayer for all families in the world. “Lord, Jesus, you were once
a member of a happy family in Nazareth. I pray that all families, in the midst
of trials and problems, may not lose hope and always see the value of love,
that love which you, alone can give, as the binding force that keeps every
family happy. Amen.”
Disclaimer: I do not claim any of the photos used in this post as mine. Credit goes to the owner.
Disclaimer: I do not claim any of the photos used in this post as mine. Credit goes to the owner.
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