KEEP THE OLD WARM

Those who are hardest to love, need it the most. – Socrates

One form of suffering can be healthy. It allows us to feel the full spectrum of our lives, humbles us into respect for a greater world, and helps us to recognize our past mistakes. Furthermore, it encourages empathy for others who also suffer, as well as for the greater whole that we are a part of and its collective suffering.

However, another suffering can result in us becoming lost. Unfortunately, this type of suffering does not teach, does not humble, and does not connect us to others through empathy. In fact, it can cause us to spiral and lose our way; we may end in taking our own lives, taking the lives of others, and abusing our lives and others’ in a thousand different ways.

This confusion is the result of us being isolated from others and the greater world. Our access to all forms of love is limited to nonexistent, including love for ourselves. In this state, it is easier for dark thoughts to work on us – our souls, hearts, minds. While this is not a state of isolation by choice such as when we separate ourselves with intention to fulfill a purpose in life, is is rather a state of unwanted and dangerous isolation, resulting in a negative form of suffering.

Here, we suffer down into hell.

The worst atrocities of humanity result from us feeling alone, isolated, lost, confused, and eventually, enraged, and thirsty for blood and aimless revenge. Shockingly enough, the cereal killers, pedophiles, the dictators of the world, they are the most in need of love. It may beyond our powers to love such people, yet we can take this is as a starting point and find others in our lives and community who are less terrible to behold. We can remember, their terrible traits stem from them being without any love whatsoever. This is a part of their lives, and the greater whole, that we can help by trying to offer even minuscule love for these wrongdoers (which we are likely one of).

The more evil a person, the more in need of love they are. There are indeed born psychopaths and sociopaths. I am no expert, but such cases may stem from a physical/chemical defect in the brain. They will be among us, but let us not concern ourselves with these extreme cases. Those who are less extreme in the evil they do, let us assume they are raised poorly by parents or guardians who are themselves without love and who fail to teach their children love. Let us assume they are lost, alone, suffering, and in their confusion turn to evil. Without love, such people grow more into monsters of cruelty everyday.

To lessen such evil in the world, first find your own self love. Find purpose in your life, pull yourself out of the choking thorns. Rise out from these depths and teach yourself to show love, to plant love, grow love, to rain down love, to shine love, first for yourself. Not sentimental love, but strong love, because you’ve learned to have it for yourself and lead a good and just life in your own eyes.

Once you find this love, you can spread it one by one to others in your life who love you too and who “deserve” love. Then, when you come across those most in need of love, those who do wrong, yet who may treasure deep thoughts of becoming better, you will be ready to do your part, and call out their good side amidst their torment.

A small act of love for one who suffers may be like dropping a stone in a still, dark, cold pool of water. You never know how far that ripple will go. It may be like lighting a fire in a dry, choked forest, a fire that will spread and burn away the old, so that the new can grow.

Drop a stone of love in the pool of a dark soul. Light an ember of love in the forest of a dark soul. Nothing else will help them.

Help the lost, through love.

*Warning – If those who do wrong do not respond to an act of love. Walk away. If they threaten you, attempt peace, but be ready to defend yourself and put love to the side. There is no world where love can survive without strength. Those most in need of love may be the most prone to violence. So be wary, and be prepared to defend yourself and others. But defensive strength, not offensive. Walk away from those who scoff at love if you can. It is not their time to try to love again.