The Highest Form of Love

What is love? I think it may be one of the most overused and misinterpreted words in the English language. There is no distinction between the emotions that are all strewn into that 4-letter word: adoration, lust, infatuation, brotherly feelings, respect, companionship, mutual enjoyment… It’s all there. However, I’ve decided that one sect of this word stands above the rest. It’s the type of love that God the Father gave us at our origin: love that lets go.

From the very beginning, God gave humanity the all-important gift of free will; we are not robots. As the only omnipotent being, our Father knew we collectively would sin and turn our backs on Him. However, his infinite love required a genuine reciprocation; He refused to force it. Because this type of love consciously allows the object of joy (the beloved) to leave, it is the most difficult and selfless.

Parents, on a less extreme scale, also endure this type of love when their baby chicks move out of the house for college, a job, (or even a Gap Year!) Long-distance friends experience this as well when they must love each other from afar. I hate to go there, but even Stephanie Meyer understood the power of losing-love since the climax of the Twilight series includes Edward allowing Bella to leave for her own good. He chose her safety above his own happiness. And now I’ve lost all credibility and self-respect by alluding to the Twilight saga. Anyways…

 Although contact and support are crucial in friendship, there is a fine distinction between maintaining and unhealthily clinging. Let me just take this moment to confess that I’m generally terrible with long-distance contact. If you’re not in my 5-mile radius, chances are communication is limited. Still, I’m not defending myself and implying that true love requires we completely cut ties with our loved ones. Rather, genuine relationships won’t be harmed by space and time. True connection isn’t broken by earthly standards like miles and hours because it goes beyond the mortal experience; it’s given by God. As God is love, when we experience it with others, we are actually bringing God into our lives. In this way, we can have confidence that when we must separate from loved ones, our relationship won’t end. Especially during this year, “letting go” is going to be a big theme for me. Only when I let go will my hands be empty enough to truly grasp what’s in front of me now. All in all, although love that lets go is the most difficult, it doesn’t have to be a true tragedy. Letting go doesn’t mean erasing that relationship; it just means making room to focus on the tasks at hand.