Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-14 06:04:15
Happy Valentine’s Day, dear reader. Today, let’s delve deeper into the concept of love. Often, in the early stages of a relationship, we mistake fleeting emotions for strong love. It’s important to understand that true love takes time to develop, grow, and become firm. This is captured by Nat Cole in his song, ‘In a restless world like this, love is ended before it’s begun…and too many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the warmth of the sun.’
Love is something that grows over time. It is the result of years of building happy memories, bonding, remaining faithful, being protective, affirming, and admiring your partner, regardless of what life throws at you. The Bible provides powerful lessons on love, emphasizing the need for patience and kindness in relationships.
Cruelty, which is the opposite of kindness, can lead to the breakdown of marriages. Kindness and empathy are essential for maintaining healthy and loving relationships. Love is also free from envy, boasting, and pride. Envy is described as a resentful longing to possess the things or qualities that someone else has. It leads to belittling and harmful behavior towards others. Love, on the other hand, is gracious and rejoices in other’s good fortunes.
Love honors and respects others. It involves holding others in high esteem and recognizing their worth. Love does not dishonor others or keep a record of wrongs. It is a genuine and selfless emotion. Short tempers and holding grudges have no place in love. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Love never gives up.
Love is a skill that can be learned and developed. It involves small steps such as romance, affirmations, and open communication. Self-love is also crucial in learning how to love others. It is important to note that self-love does not equate to selfish love, but rather it allows us to know and get comfortable loving another person.
So, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, let’s reflect on the true meaning of love. Love takes time, effort, and understanding. It involves patience, kindness, and selflessness. It is a powerful force that can withstand the tests of time and is the greatest of all virtues. Happy Valentine’s Day once again!
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