Love. Unfortunately, I don't feel as if I have been in love in my adult life. I haven't had that feeling. That extreme emotion for someone else. That selfless feeling that makes even the most simple of us, poetic. I can recall a time where I felt something for someone, stronger than like, but not as powerful as love. And now, as I kind of sit, beginning to sulk about my lack of love, I think further to others of us, who feel love and can't express it.
I'm sure that most people reading my blog by now have heard about the courageous movement of Frank Ocean (I started this a long time ago, by the way, and am just now sitting down to finish). Coming out as a black man, I can only imagine is difficult. The black community has a history of isolating scriptures in the Bible to condemn some, but ignoring other scriptures that would condemn more "accepted" behaviors, claiming that time or present day mores trumps the writings of the Old and New Testament. As you have read in my previous blogs, however, this is not a religious entry. I digress.
Okay, so we have established that Ocean is black, let's now add that he is coming out as a R&B/Hip-Hop singer teeterer that has not yet reached his prime. Hasn't reached the place where people love you regardless of what you choose to do with your life. Case in point...Robert "I didn't put the R in R&B" Kelly. Yea, I went there, but again, I digress.
Reading Frank Ocean's open letter about his first love, makes me not only want to experience love, but makes me hurt for so many people out there living, loving in silence. Loving in fear. Fear of being judged, mistreated, and unable to experience fully what is pushed down our little toddler throats as we grow up in a heterosexual society. From a very young age, we are asked about the opposite sex crush in our class. We are taught to sing "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage." We make sure to pair up Barbie and Ken, to emphasize our definition of what love really entails. Because love could not, absolutely could not exist between same sex pairs.
But what if it could? Let's just imagine that love is about personality, chemistry, or a spiritual connection that extends far beyond race, color, religion, or even gender. Could love exist then? Who decides...
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2 comments:
"Let's imagine that love is about personality, chemistry, or a spiritual connection that extends far beyond race, color, religion, or even gender." – What a powerful statement. Not only do I imagine this to be so...I absolutely live by it and think it is the truth.
August 21, 2012 at 12:59 AMI think "love" is a purely spiritual connection that exists between people. It's intangible, invisible, ungraspable, unexplainable and yet SO powerful. Its something that exists entirely in our mind, cognition, intuition...and most importantly, our spirits. And yet, it is so powerful that it dictates our outward moods, actions, reactions, and even finds ways to manifest itself physically in our bodies at times.
Honestly, the whole concept is extraordinary. I think that fact that, as humans, we have the opportunity to feel that depth of a connection with another being, is a gift. (Not only romantically, but the love that we feel between ourselves and any individuals)
For me, the feeling of "love" is a reminder that God is real, because I truly believe that God is, in fact, that intangible, invisible feeling of wonderfulness and spiritual connection that we have decided to call "love" in the English language. And so with that in mind, I find it ridiculous and offensive that us, lowly mortals, would seek to categorize something so magnificent as "love" into a box that is only allowed to exist romantically between males and females. I wish people would allow themselves to think outside of these boxes...
If only it were so easy....so easy to define, so easy to identify, so easy to see clearly. The truth is...I believe most of us don’t know what LOVE is…we think we do, but we really don’t. Imagine a divorce rate of 50%....I would venture to think 95%+ of those couples thought they understood love.
September 5, 2012 at 5:16 PM“Not to be religious” but if God is Love…how can one understand Love without a relationship with God first? Would not God set some types of spiritual guidance and order for love?
I think the truth is:
“Exactly what is this thing called love? Since it is a very broad term, the ancient Greeks managed to define what-is-love and there are four types: agape, eros, philia and storge.
• Agape is unconditional love with a deeper sense of "true love". Example: Giving others your precious resources for loving support without an expectation in return.
• Eros is passionate love. It is mostly sexual but can also be passion for anything, such as car hobbies.
• Philia is displaying love through loyalty to friends, family and community, usually by sharing resources and expecting something in return.
• Storge is natural affection that is often felt by a person for related family members”
Basically saying Love is confusing and comes in different forms. POINT BEING: Don’t think that a “love” letter means he/she really understands love. Don’t assume that ANY heterosexual or homosexual relationship embraces and understands love. The truth of the matter is regardless of who you are most of us do not understand the meaning of love, and to me those that believe in a higher Power, must first identify that this Power is Love, which WILL encompass some type of guidelines for the spirit to follow.
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