“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ― Lao Tzu
Love changes us. It causes us to do things we wouldn’t normally do.
Andrew Lloyd Weber, the wonderful composer, understood the significance of love. He once penned these lyrics:
Love, Love changes everything:
Hands and faces; Earth and sky.
Love, Love changes everything:
How you live and how you die.
I can also attest to the fact that love changes us—that people who are in love follow through with actions they never would have imagined.
When I was in college, my interests were narrow. I liked sports… well, and video games. But mostly sports. I enjoyed playing them. I enjoyed watching them on television. I enjoyed attending sporting events at every level: high school, college, professional. It didn’t matter the level and it didn’t matter the sport. I loved being there with the crowd, the teams, the atmosphere, the competition. It was what I loved to do with my time and my money.
But my wife, who I began dating at the time, enjoyed different things. For example, she liked the opera—which holds very little in common with a basketball game I might add. But she loved it. As a result, it wasn’t long before I attended. Additionally, I researched operas coming to town, I researched seating and prices, I purchased tickets, and I learned to appreciate the theater. I did it because I loved my wife. And love changes us. It causes us to do things we wouldn’t normally do.
In addition to the opera, I have visited in-laws on major holidays. I have sat on benches in women’s clothing stores. I have given up my umbrella during rainstorms. I have put a Stevie Wonder CD in my car’s CD player. I have spent my life’s savings on a wedding ring. And I have committed the rest of my life for richer or poorer in sickness and in health to one person, my wife, Kim. My love for her has changed me forever.
Now that I have children, I have seen my love for them change me as well. As a result, you may find me curled up in a little ball hiding in a closet waiting for my daughter to find me. You may find me curled up on a pink bed thoroughly engaged in a Junie B. Jones book. Or you may find me spending an evening at the kitchen table working on 4th grade geometry. Again, things I wouldn’t normally do.
But I do them today because I love my kids and I love my wife. And love changes everything. May it find opportunity to change you.
Image: dprotz
Dan Garner says
January 24, 2013 at 9:49 AMThe larger our love, the larger ourselves.
Dan @ Zen Presence
Amy says
January 24, 2013 at 9:50 AMBeautiful! Love does change everything :)
tVM says
January 24, 2013 at 10:42 AMThe final and most beautiful line in the musical Les Miserables: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
Lynne says
January 24, 2013 at 11:14 AMLove is why I have a new life.
Love is why ” things” are not important to me anymore.
Love is dusting and cleaning my son room every week although he moved out 3 years ago.
Love is a good time for me on Saturday night is watching Les Miserables with my 13 year old who has the flu.
Love is saying good night and good morning to my husband although he died in 2011.
Joy @ Joyfully Green says
January 24, 2013 at 1:10 PMWell said. I have a good friend whose husband doesn’t like doing the “kid things.” He’d rather be golfing and playing hockey with his pals. When he complained that riding on the swan boats at an amusement park with his kids wasn’t fun, his wife reminded him: “That ride wasn’t about what YOU like.” And when my husband and I start feeling like it’s not so much fun if our 5-year-old climbs into bed with us at 4 in the morning, we have to remind ourselves that she’ll only want to snuggle up with her parents for so long before it’s not “cool” anymore. And so we snuggle up with her a little bit closer.
Hellen says
January 24, 2013 at 2:43 PMThis post is so timely for me! Thanks. :)
bluffbear says
January 24, 2013 at 2:52 PMYou are delightful to read.
Thank you.
Beth says
January 24, 2013 at 5:51 PMPerusing Facebook, I was disillusioned to see so many angry political posts and then there was this message! I had been thinking I should call our elderly neighbor and check in as her cat passed recently and she has been sad, but I was delaying because I wasn’t sure I was able to handle it just now. When I saw your quote, I gathered courage and called – it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be – and it was good. I think I helped cheer her up. So I just thought I would let you know of the impact that you had in our little world here! Thank you for your inspiring posts everyday! :) Thank you also for being open and welcoming in your posts to those that may not share the details of your faith, but share the spirit of your faith!
Alison says
January 24, 2013 at 8:20 PMThanks for a smile today :)
Sandra Pawula says
January 24, 2013 at 9:11 PMLove takes us out of ourselves, doesn’t it? And that’s where joy is found. This is a beautiful reminder.
Diane Balch says
January 25, 2013 at 7:17 AMYour love for your wife brought a tear to my eyes.
Brenda says
January 25, 2013 at 7:21 AMWhat a beautiful post! My husband and I ask each other what we can do to make each other feel loved in a way that no one else has loved us. I look forward to sharing his interests and deepening our love as the years go by.
Cullen Carter says
January 25, 2013 at 7:33 AMExcuse the proselytizing:
Christians believe that “God is love” (1John4;8). Th
Norma Gabriel says
January 25, 2013 at 7:49 AMExcellent article, Josh.
Pilar Rodriguez says
January 25, 2013 at 9:51 AMLove it! : )
The Maui Taoist says
January 25, 2013 at 10:00 AMLao Tzu….. sublime wisdom indeed!
Alexis says
January 25, 2013 at 10:18 AMThe only important love is the love you have for yourself. It is the most valuable love of all. No other love can sustain you or help you grow.No spouse can love you as you need to love yourself. I do not believe that you can love others until you know and love yourself. You accomplish this by living alone, doing personal growth work and experiencing life without depending on others. People that live their lives based only on love do not know who they are.
Matt says
June 14, 2013 at 11:29 AMWell said. Very true.
Aditya says
January 25, 2013 at 12:34 PM“I learn something new about Love everyday;that is how beautiful life is”
I think love is that bond that holds the world together. Although love can the love that one has for his wife, son, daughter , dog, mother or father, Love can also be felt for the Earth, the trees, the water and for humanity in general.
I makes me think of the love that people feel for underprivileged kids across the world. So many people dedicate their lives to orphans and malnourished kids and yet lives a life of anonymity, One such blessed soul was Mother Theresa.
I also have a lot of respect for the people who have love for trees. Each and every day there is so much deforestation and destruction to creates Apartments, sky scrapers and townships.
I think we really need more loves in this world, because Love really does change Everything!
Terry Hadaway says
January 25, 2013 at 1:58 PMOne of the greatest expressions of love is sharing our creativity with others. Whether it be the art of brewing coffee or a painting, the sharing of our lives requires the sharing of our time. And that is the real currency of love. Slow down and love someone today!
Mark Adam Douglass (@MADouglass) says
January 25, 2013 at 4:52 PMSimply Beautiful.
Thanks you for sharing your love with us.
Janice says
January 27, 2013 at 9:22 AMThank you for this beautiful post! I will be keeping it in my inbox to remind me of these sentiments always.
oli says
February 4, 2013 at 12:39 AMDeeply touched by this post.
Thanks for sharing.
Brown Vagabonder says
February 21, 2013 at 12:51 PMIf I had read this post a few months ago, I would have pah-ed at the post. Love doesn’t exist, I would say disbelievingly. But things are different now. I have found someone who I would say is my soulmate. I couldn’t believe it when I first realized this fact, and I still sometimes rebel against it. But it is true. Love does change things. When you find the person you are meant to be with, your life goes smoother. You are able to complement each other’s personalities and make something bigger and better. Thanks for the post and the reminder.
Karin says
June 14, 2013 at 9:41 AMI look forward to your posts daily! A fresh breath of air and a thought that lasts…thank you!
Thea van Rijn says
June 16, 2013 at 11:24 PMi’m glad i became acquainted with your site en i love to be a little part of it. it has changed me already! thnx and grtz from the Netherlands
Raymund Salao says
October 23, 2013 at 8:36 PMvery profound and I can relate to the experience. Indeed love changes everything and it always for good.
Patrick says
February 6, 2014 at 1:49 PMGreat post. It is exactly how I feel every weekend I am blessed to spend with my soon-to-be wife. My whole life has changed because of her and I am grateful for it.
Patrick @ soimarriedamedstudent.com
Merry ann Acapulco says
October 11, 2014 at 7:23 PMIt’s beautiful’..Thanks for sharing us.
Vicki says
December 28, 2014 at 8:54 AMI have been enjoying reading your posts. Thank you for this post about love- very true and beautiful!
Hanna says
December 28, 2014 at 9:17 AM“I can also attest to the fact that love changes us—that people who are in love follow through with actions they never would have imagined.”
I agree 100%.
Helen says
December 28, 2014 at 10:12 AMYou are so right. Thank you. Love opens our hearts and eyes and we share ourselves and are filled with joy
Denise says
December 28, 2014 at 12:32 PMIt’s all about The love! Thank you for this post.