Monday Morning Musing: Is Love Really All We Need?

Ah, it's Valentine's Day this week and the popular culture will again celebrate with those who are lucky in love and remind those who aren't of that very thing and for those who fall somewhere in the middle, well, is there really a middle?

I am lucky beyond measure to be cherished by and to cherish my Beloved. And it took us a long time to find our way to each other. Love, friends, is something like this BIG moment followed by lots of hard work. And intention. And little moments. And sometimes, in relationships, love is simply not enough. But if we don't have it (theological nerd alert!) we are a noisy gong or a clanging symbol.

Still, here's the thing....to "have" love means to both be the recipient and the giver, not just of eros (romantic love), but of philios (or sibling like love and I like to think this means best friend like love) AND of agape...the love that God has for all of us.

So, beloved and precious child of God....you are loved with the purest agape love. Named Beloved. Loved without condition. There is nothing you did to earn that love and nothing you can do to lose it. And that is, most certainly, all we need.

In honor of Valentine's Day, this poem by another black female poet, this time Maya Angelou.

Touched By An Angel

We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight live coiled in shells of loneliness until love leaves its high holy temple and comes into our sight to liberate us into life.

Love arrives and in its train come ecstasies old memories of pleasure ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity In the flush of love’s light we dare be brave And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free