I’ve been described as many things in my life - a geography teacher once called me a whirlwind, and on more than one occasion i’ve been termed a breath of fresh air. I like that I can sweep in and unsettle, leaving people and situations changed.
I’ve recently been told that I go around “love bombing” people and agree that this is an interesting metaphor for what I do sometimes. I do beleive the meaning of life is to love one another as best as we possibly can. Clearly, every person is unique, and every interaction/relationship we have is unique - we can't have a one-approach-fits-all way of loving each other. For some people a gentle love, for one or two special people, may be the way they love. Perhaps I have a more terrorist apporach - full on blowing up of previous expectations, initiating a re-evaluation of what was before.
For a pacifist, it may seem a bit odd that the way I love is not more soothing - whirlwinds and bombs wreak devestation, and are uninvited, and unwelcome. So maybe i need to rethink, get people’s permission - we’re back to the warning sticker of my first blog.
Is it irresponsible to show people that life can be full of joy, full of love, that they are totally brilliant... and then walk away? Or in setting off love bombs am i then responsible for helping the person pick up any pieces they want to keep? Is that a lifelong process?
The model of love I read about in the gospels is of a radical, total love of people - an acceptance of who they are just the way they are, yet holding on to the idea that each one of us can face sometimes hard stuff in order to become more fully ourselves. We're asked to love with all our hearts, souls and strength, and I think I do that - whether you've come to fix my leaky roof, or you're a lifelong friend. God can be in all places at once, but that is a bit beyond me, and so the working out continues...
Let me know what you think :)
Making people understand that there is more to life than what they are experiencing! Causing a reaction by Love bombing them, does not make you responsible it makes you the catalyst for their own enlightenment, what they do with that is their own dilemma, not yours. You have just shown them another path. Whether they choose to accept that or not is their own responsibility?
ReplyDeleteI am sure your emotional intelligence will come into play Kristie. For me, loving is thinking about and putting the other person's best interests first, before our own. This may mean adjustment on a case by case basis of what we do. However, to ask everyone to do afull blown Myers-Briggs assessment is probably not practicable!! so we may have to operate a bit instinctivly. But I think that you are pretty well tuned to the other....
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