Remember to Love Even When We're Told Not To

The hate never seems to go away from our world.  We live in a time when we should not have to fear our neighbours, but we do, because you never know who you can trust anymore.  Is your best friend going to try to drug you in order to take advantage of you when he takes you home?  Is a fan going to come to your concert to shoot you while you're signing autographs?  Is someone going to terrorize your evening of fun and dancing, because that person doesn't like the way you love?  Or are crazed football fans going to raise havoc...just because?

Particularly over the last year, I feel I've written quite a lot about hate, and how we need to love each other as brothers and sisters, and stand up for our neighbours.  I've repeated this so much that I feel as though I'm just writing words into an empty, deserted valley.  That's probably why I've not been posting as much over the last few months.  Everything I think to write about either feels insignificant next to what's going on in the world, or simply repetitive.

So, as I've spent the weekend cleaning and tidying up our apartment, and preparing some final details for our wedding, I thought about how much love I know exists.  Last weekend, my best friends completely out did themselves with the most incredibly thoughtful and fun tea party to celebrate my upcoming nuptials.  I felt the greatest love in every detail of that day, down to even the "fish & chip" snack bowl consisting of goldfish crackers and crisps. 

This weekend, my brother and his best friend took Chris out for his own little pre-wedding celebration, and I'm just so grateful to them both for being such loving brothers to Chris.  Chris is an only child, and I bet he never imagined he'd have someone to share clothes with, the way sisters do.  It touches my heart and makes me so utterly happy.

We went to a little party at our church last night, and I know I say this a lot, but I'm always excited to see our friends there. They are exemplary of Love.

It's not always easy, but it's these people in my life that remind me to continue believing in the good in this world, and to keep doing and being good in this world.  We may never completely get rid of the hate that continues to exist and grow in different ways and places, but as long as we keep loving and spreading the love, hate will never win.

So, this is just a little reminder to keep on loving.

BIG LOVE & HUGS

Love,

Justine