Danielle
“This is because we, humans are by nature lovers. God created us with love and in love. It is natural that the creature should show the characteristics or features of the Creator. God is love and so are we created loving. Therefore, we should never be surprised that we love. In fact, when Backstreet Boys to Westlife sing of love, they are reminding us who we really are: Lovers.

The challenge we face is how to define love.”

Excerpt from Fr. Simon Yong’s sermon.

How do we define love?

22, single and not have had a single relationship can be quite a pressuring thing to be in today’s world. Everywhere, around me, different ideas of love are being sold. There is the lustful ‘love’ where the idea that if you have great sex with the person, then he is right for you. The “Try first, then decide” concept.


There is the ideal, fairy tale love where handsome prince meets beautiful princess and all is perfect. There is the Jerry Macquire “You complete me...”. There is Gossip Girls “I hate you but I love you” Chuck Blair drama. There is the “Love at first sight” concept. The “Love for benefits” concept. And the “Love for anyone” concept.


I must say that despite being a Christian, my initial idea of love were very much formed by the idea of love sold my magazines, brands, movies. Probably, like many other teenagers or young adults out there, I had my dreams and yearning to be loved by the other who supposedly would complete me, understand me and accept me for who I am, love me more than I love myself and as much as I would love him, trusts me and does not judge me.


It took me many heartbreaks and rejections, despite loving as He asked me to, to come to the realisation that no Man can complete me. Only He can. All these things that I look for in a Man can only be found in Christ.

I am not saying that men are no good or that I have given up on them. I’m saying that men are human and so the one who is destined for me can only offer me very human imperfect love and it is God’s calling for me to love him despite the imperfections as He as loved me despite my imperfections.

I am just saying that I have come to admit that no one can make me whole and complete me and be my other half but Christ. I am just saying that I have stopped looking in man what only God can offer.


Today, I’m no longer looking because I no longer yearn for the love of another like I used to. Today, what I yearn for
more is to put a smile on His face and make Him proud. I yearn to be with Him, now and always. I yearn to be pleasing to Him. Because I today I know and believe that only He can complete me.


Danielle
Past few days hasn’t been great for me... I’ve been feeling a little down and depressed... Have been reading a lot for therapeutic effects, sleeping a lot to try to avoid thinking about it, and crying a bit to let the pain and frustration out...

I was trying hard to figure out why certain things turn out the way they do... If I was doing something wrongly, if I needed to change anything, if the problem lied within me... I even became upset with God and had a real argument with Him... and said some things no father should have to hear from his child... I am sure I caused Him much hurt but I know I’m very lucky because He still loves me...

This morning, I was sipping my chocolate milk in front of my table, while just staring into the things on my table and stuck on the wall... and then it hit me...

On the wall, there were cards written with so much love from close friends... On the table there were 2 photo frames encapsulating the amazing friends I have, the love I am blessed with, and a life that was most beautiful... all right there, in front me...

Then, it hit me...

Why is it so easy to miss the things standing right in front of us, that is so beautiful and perfect in so many ways? Why do we become blind to the blessings staring right back at us? Why is it so easy for us to take for granted the people, the relationships, the love, the blessings we have right here, right now?

Why is it so easy to focus on the things we’ve lost? Why is it so easy to get distracted and depressed with the things we don’t have? Why do we become obsessed with the what ifs and should haves? Why is it easier to hold on to past disappointments and hurts? Why is it so easy to depreciate the relationships we have right now, right here because of relationships that we had or could have had?

It was then, it hit me...

How blind one can be... How blind I can be...

Sometimes, we won't realise what we have, even if they were staring right back at us...

It was then, it hit me...

How despite believing in living in the moment, I seem to have forgotten all the things I already have, all the things people would die for... All the love one could only imagine about...

It was then,

I realised how blessed I was, and how thankful I am and how more thankful I should be...