Plainly these two emotions ‘make the world go round.’ So robust, and but polar opposites from one another, most likely the 2 strongest feelings! And paradoxically, they’re BOTH represented by the colour RED! Pink is the colour of extremes, ardour, anger, intense emotion, even harmful violence. And utterly reverse…There may be Love and want, the colour of the guts, the seat of Love, romance and fertility. Valentine’s crimson hearts, sweet, crimson roses, but the satan wears crimson! And the cardinals within the Vatican! Voltaire (1694-1778), the good French thinker, acknowledged, “Love is of all of the passions the strongest, for it assaults concurrently the top, the guts and the physique.”…‘been there, carried out that.’
In 2009, I opened a small artwork gallery (a life dream). Considered one of my artists was a rough-and-tumble welder-sculptor, whom I helped sponsor. His father was additionally a bit tough, however was a rustic preacher. I seen on his left hand, on all 4 knuckles, in massive letters, he had tattooed L…O…V…E. And on his proper hand, on three knuckles, he had H…A…T. I noticed and requested him, “What’s a Love hat?” (Considering that I had a clue). He defined, “Your left hand goes over your coronary heart, and your proper hand is for punching somebody, and I wished that message completely inked on my arms. I sat there whereas the man tattooed my left hand, OK with Love, however then when he began hate on my proper hand, I had second ideas… wait…. I AM SUPPOSED TO BE A MAN OF GOD. I can’t carry hate in my coronary heart, so simply as he was about to ink the E to finish HATE, I finished him, simply within the nick of time. No, I can’t go there!” (So, he works it right into a sermon)…Simply the opposite day, I heard hatred is crimson hat reversed, is {that a} Love hat?
What about God’s Love? GOD’s prime two commandments are “LOVE Me, Your God, and Love your neighbor as your self.” Sounds easy, doesn’t it? However but it’s SO arduous for folks to comply with. “I can’t Love my neighbor; he’s completely different from me! He/she doesn’t suppose like me! Or appear like me! Or vote like me, so I’ve to hate them.” Hate can develop so quickly, I evaluate it to kudzu and wisteria; quick rising, insidious, goes underground, pops up 30 toes away, strangles no matter is in its path. I battle wisteria every single day in my backyard. I’ve to admit that I attempt to quell emotions of hatred after they rear their ugly head in my coronary heart!… But I see a tiny weed, seed or flower rising in a small crack within the sidewalk, with no care, no TLC, no good soil, no watering, in unhospitable situations, but they dangle on for pricey life and thrive. Why can’t Love be like that? DO we are saying “Unhealthy morning to you?”…“Have a horrible day?”…“I hope you fail!” (Even when we could be considering it?) OR… “Good morning!”…“Have an ideal day!”…“Good luck to you!” Once more, to cite Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say, however I’ll defend to the dying your proper to say it.” How civilized and magnanimous!!! Wouldn’t it’s great if our legislators might act civilly to at least one one other, and our residents to one another?
The traditional Greeks had three phrases for Love: Eros, Philia and Agape. Eros (suppose erotic) was romantic emotions, want and sexual attraction. Philia was Love between associates, characterised by loyalty, respect and shared experiences. Agape (a-GOP-ay) is the purest type of Love, related to compassion, charity, unconditional giving, a common Love. Many Sunday College courses are named Agape. Now, as for hate, there are MANY sorts! Some crimes are ‘hate crimes’, the place a sufferer is focused due to race, faith, incapacity, sexual preferences, and so on. There may be revenge/payback hate. Do they not bear in mind what God mentioned? “Revenge is mine: I’ll repay says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). God is the Final Choose and punisher of wrongdoing, and that people mustn’t search revenge themselves. There may be pure malicious, evil hate, and dislike can devolve into excessive violence. The nice Nelson Mandela believed ‘’Nobody is born hating one other individual due to the colour of his pores and skin, or his background, or his faith. Individuals should study to hate, and IF they’ll study to hate, they are often taught to Love, for Love comes extra naturally to the human coronary heart than its reverse.” Hatred is a realized conduct, however Love might be taught as an alternative! Attempt instructing and training Love. It’s a tall order!
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900, a genius who died at a mere 46) mentioned, “Solely what is ok, and finely conceived, can feed Love. However something will feed Hate.” As a baby, you’ll have taunted a good friend in an argument, “Sticks and stones could break my bones, however phrases won’t ever damage me.” That was first in print in 1862 within the Christian Recorder of the AME Church, as a proverb of resilience in opposition to verbal bullying and hurtful language. BUT…‘Boy oh boy,’ phrases can damage and wound deeply. As a lady as soon as instructed me ‘’I forgave them, however I’ll NEVER overlook what they mentioned.” Wilde additionally mentioned, “Hatred is blind, in addition to Love.” I instructed my Priest that I used to be trying to put in writing a column on Love and hate (each heavy matters). She rolled her eyes, and exclaimed ‘Oh boy!’ most likely hoping that I might not obtain hate mail!!!……. Love, Carol Veliotis
Carol Veliotis is an area columnist for The Covington Information. She might be reached at carol.veliotis@gmail.com.
