I spent my weekend’s going to dances and I thought it was the dancing I loved. Instead, it was about seeing the people, encouraging them and hearing their stories. It was about sharing my love with others by caring about them. Here’s six ways you can grow your capacity to love. Giving of your time to help others feel better.
I started by taking the time to listen and give them hope. Or encouraging a shy person to ask someone to dance. Each week I went dancing, I looked forward to seeing the people so I could do it all again.
Faith in their future even if it did not include me.
I am happy for others even if I didn’t get what I wanted. Sometimes people get what I asked for but there is no room for jealousy or envy with genuine love. If you have faith, you understand that your future lies somewhere else and it will come at just the right time.
Love makes you do things for others that you don’t really want to do.
I always told my daughter-in-law’s my sons would do things for them they would not do for me. Can you believe my “messy” son is doing all the laundry, folding it and everything?
The more you give with a genuine heart, the more you receive.
An instructor who taught a similar class asked for a copy of my lesson. After I gave it to her, a co-worker said, “You sure are generous. I wouldn’t have done that.” Obviously, she did not understand the full capacity of caring. The more you give the more you receive.
There is always enough genuine love for everyone.
Sometimes people withhold love because they are afraid of losing it. Parents may ration their love between children only loving one at a time, forcing the children to compete for it. If you shower love on your children, they will want to return it because they love you, not because they fear you.
A broken heart can be healed and a healed heart can love deeper.
Vulnerability is a part of love. The door is either open or closed. During my divorce, I closed the door to avoid the pain of a broken heart. Once a door is closed, it is closed to all emotions, even the good ones. Going through the pain to heal is the only way to show love again. Love is worth the risk.
