The greatest gift I can give is my love (#569)

I can give thoughts on some temporary situation to make it better. I can pull what little money I have out of my pocket and give it to some needy situation. I can give blood or an organ to donation to keep someone healthy or alive. There are many ways I can do things that help others, but none of it, except under duress or coercion, would happen if I did not have love to give from my heart. Everything that makes me responsive to life in any good way is because I allow myself to love others. I do not suppress the gift of love I have within me. I know that I am no saint, not even close. I struggle sometimes with how much of the appearance of my love I must withdraw from some. When I am being used or abused I cannot continue to enable that kind of behavior without explaining to them the reason I have for curtailing my expressions of love for them. If the behavior continues then I must still love them but from a distance. I was inculcated that being a man required me to be tough and strong and not show emotion. I lived like that for a long time. I also noticed that emotion was not being shown back to me. I did not like that. I had to break out of that macho style. I finally realized that it was not about what I was taught to do, as some traditions, but it is more about what I think to do, that is what is important. I now proudly and honorably defend my right to show my love for others through the actions of my life. How satisfying!