In an effort to make it through 18 today, I began to think about a friend who once told me that there are really only two main emotions in life:  Love and Fear.  They couldn’t be more different and all other emotions flow from them.  Do you agree?  While running, I began to think of what each represents in relationships and how you know if you or your partner is acting out of fear or love.  Here’s what I came up with:

  • Love is unconditional.  Fear is conditional.
  • Love is strong.  Fear is weak.
  • Love releases.  Fear obligates.
  • Love is honest.  Fear is deceit.
  • Love allows you to live your life.  Fear requires a certain path.
  • Love gives.  Fear resists.
  • Love forgives.  Fear blames.
  • Love is a choice.  Fear is about avoidance.
  • Love is kind.  Fear is angry.
  • Love creates.  Fear takes away.
  • Love heals.  Fear hurts.
  • Love energizes.  Fear saps your energy.
  • Love inspires.  Fear causes worry.
  • Love is relaxed and patient.  Fear is nervous and demanding.
  • Love is blind.  Fear is judgmental.
  • Love accepts.  Fear rejects.
  • Love believes in you.  Fear hides and deceives you.

So, here’s where I ended up when I finished my run:

The natural result of fear is to act selfishly without regard for the wellbeing of others. It is about protection but at the expense of others.  I see this as destroying the fabric of society and causing much of the horror we see in the news.  Fear inspires more fear.

Love is the selfless devotion to someone or something.  A determination to do them right and to encourage and care for the person you love.  Love allows us to focus our attention away from dead matter such as money or material goods, and put it on to living beings where it rightly resides.  Love helps us to rediscover our humanity and our direction in life.

There’s nothing better than feeling love – whether in a social relationship, personal relationship or in life.  It brings healing energy wherever you take it.  And in a perfectly imperfect world, we’re going to spend our lives moving between these emotions. But the older I get, the easier it is for me to move from fear into love – and to stay there.  And, at my advanced age 🙂 I can finally look back and label my actions as based on fear, rather than love.

See my friends … there are some advantages to this aging-thing!

Have a great weekend!