From the Desk of Althea Schottman

Date Posted: 10-25-2007

What is Love?

Hmmm...................A feeling, perhaps? Well, that has to be a part of it. Being "in love" is a wonderful feeling, and one that brings out a surge of generosity and fellow-feeling. When you are in love with your beloved, you are also in love with the world. But we know that feelings come and go. And being in love, great as it is, is no basis for a way of life.

...............A commitment, maybe. Commitment can get you through even when those feelings aren't there. A parent caring for a sick child might be thinking "practical," or "I'll carry on even though I'm dead tired," for instance, and is most certainly showing love. But if it is only commitment, that seems pretty grim.

I love the definition given by C. S. Lewis--love is "a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit." This describes the profoundly deep feelings of love that remain after the "in love" stage is over, and acknowledges the importance of commitment and the daily behaviors that create and maintain love.

Love is a creation--maybe our most creative act--and a creative act open to all. I may not be able to paint a picture, write a novel or play the violin, but I can do those things day by day that make up the important creation of love.

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