Is it worth it: Part Two

Last week I wrote a post on taking a risk and deciding to love with our whole hearts.  It came from getting a chance to hear the Gospel in a different way.  As part of a Homily.  Well, the words from the Homily are still sticking with me.  So here are some more thoughts.

The preacher used a story from one of my all time favorite authors, Henri Nouwen.  He told the story of twins in a womb.  There is a lot more to it, but I will be brief.  A brother and sister are in a womb and the brother kept mentioning there being more than their current situation.  The sister isn't buying it.  The brother mentions something about a life squeeze.  He mentions that they are unpleasant and painful.  He says he thinks the squeezes are to get us ready.  To get us ready for another place.  A better place. (Birth)

I've been thinking about this story a lot and it has been on my mind constantly.  Life squeezes.  They are not pleasant.  They hurt.  Honestly- they flat out suck and I even hate them at the time.  I would never voluntarily want one.  It is easy to become hopeless and doubtful.  I have been there.  More often than I would like to admit.  It is almost worse to watch someone else go through it.  But, I keep coming back to the same thought.  These squeezes, hurts, losses- they aren't for nothing.  They can't be.  Because we choose to love, we also choose to lose.  But, we choose life.  Even in death.  I think it is far greater to love than to not.  Even if those that we love are lost, we still got the chance to love them.  And we got to be loved by them.  There is not one thing that is greater in relationship (in my opinion).  It has taken me a very, very long time to even begin to write these words.  I don't even always believe them myself, but eventually I am redirected to where this all comes from.  And to me loving is the only option we have.  We have these life squeezes because we choose to love.  We take a risk with our hearts and our minds.  We give our selves.  In love, I think there is hope.  A real hope.  A hope that grows us in faith.  A hope that gives us a peace.  A peace that will somehow surpass the times that we have no idea what the hell is actually going on or what we are supposed to do.  Or the times where we want to just quit.  A hope that leads and encourages us to love.  I am not talking a superficial, shallow love.  I am talking about a life changing love.  A love that is greater than loss.  A love that survives death.   This love gets us ready.  It shows us a glimpse of the Kingdom.  A far better place.  Where we will see Him face to face.  It is a love that I or you should not trade for anything in the world.  It is a love that is MORE THAN WORTH IT.  FYI- I do not say this lightly.  It is just what I have been thinking on today.  Thanks for reading.