Acceptance ● Compassion ● Gentleness ● Joy ● Honesty
● Humility ● Nobility ● Respectfulness
● Thoughtfulness ● Trustworthiness
Just ten words and yet, with their inherent characteristics (click here for the table) they describe love in its perfection. What makes it perfect is that every quality noted is applied equally to every human being and all living things in every situation. Were a human being to demonstrate all these qualities all the time then they would rightfully be deemed perfect. But this book is not about being perfect. It is instead a template by which to make different choices that lead to greater harmony and contentment.
Consider for a moment the individuals throughout history who have had the greatest impact for good on humankind. Without exception they have demonstrated some, if not many, of these characteristics. Now consider your actions on any given day. No matter where you live in the world, your economic status or position, chances are that, knowingly or unknowingly, you have demonstrated one or more of the aspects of love listed here. For the most part, we don’t think about these actions – we just do them. Even when an action of love is given with intention it comes so naturally that it is not identified in our mind as a component of love.
The elements of love are as specific as the instruments in an orchestra. Each instrument has its own unique properties or characteristics and produces music in a distinctive way. When played alone, depending on the skill and talent of the musician, it can make beautiful music. When the same piece of music is played by two or three instruments the music becomes richer, fuller. Put all the instruments together under the direction of a maestro and the music becomes a magnificent symphony of sound and vibration that envelops mind, body and spirit.
You are the maestro. You choose the instruments of love that will be played in the daily business of living. You are also the musician who, through conscious choice, knows the instrument and understands that it is only through practice that the full potential of the instrument can be achieved.
The Instruments
As you study the characteristics of each element keep in mind that, like the notes in music, the table is mathematical in nature with specific definitions assigned each key component. In contrast, the observations that follow are a subjective commentary on the primary components based on my own perceptions and studies.
Do yourself a favour and argue with me. Listen to what I have to say and then play it out across the landscape of your own circumstances. Accept some of it, all of it or none of it, but do think about it because it is only through the process of conscious thought that the seeds of change can be planted.
What I do know for certain is that people can change given knowledge coupled with desire. I know this because of the many times I have seen people make the choice to change as a result of circumstances that are quite often tragic. I have seen people change out of the simple desire to be more than what they are. I have seen people change when the proverbial light shines in their mind and suddenly they ‘see ‘ what it is that needs changing. Over the course of a lifetime each of these examples could be valid as the catalyst for change that leads to growth as a human. Growth and maturity are integral to all processes of life. No living organism is designed to stagnate or stay the same. That is not to say that it doesn’t happen, it is just not the natural order of life’s construct.
My challenge, both in writing this book and laying out my perceptions of love, is to adequately incorporate the understanding that humans are complex, unique individuals and that no one brush can be applied to all. You may and probably do share commonalities with thousands of people across the world, but how you think and feel as an individual is unique to you as is my thought process unique to me.
As you read through the next pages on what love is use the words as a measure to
assess how much or how little you apply love in your own life and thoughts. The measure
will vary considerably from one person to the next depending on personality traits
and the components of your life. For instance, compassion is part of my nature so
it is not something I have to think about. On the other hand, acceptance, particularly
the part about being non-
The Symphony of Love
