Every so often, there is a small one frame cartoon that appears in the newspaper that has cherub-like naked characters, entitled "Love is..." and each day, there will be something like "Love is...choosing each other." What are the different types of love?
And of course in Catholic Sunday School, there is always the discussion of the different types of love agape, unconditional, I-would-die-for-you-no-questions-asked love or phileo- brotherly/sisterly/comradeship love...and then there was romantic love- get-married-have-kids-grow-old-together love. Funny how when you get older, these lines become blurred. I still believe that you can love people in different ways, but its not as clear cut as in Sunday school. Love is a complicated, all-consuming entity- it is not just a feeling or a flight of fancy. It is a bird that comes to make a nest in your heart.
The one thing that I did learn though, in Sunday school, and its not something that just is Christian, its universal, is that "Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." 1Corinthians 4-8. The love of our friends gets us up out of bed each day, even when every inch of us screams to not get up and start the day. Love is something that we cannot live without...
I think the favorite cartoon of mine I saw was "Love is...leaping into the unknown." And it is. You don't know what you will give, get, or lose in the process of falling in love and loving the other person. If I have learned anything, while you may sometimes get hurt, showing and exhibiting love to others is perhaps one of the most rewarding things in life- yet can also be one of the most vulnerable, exposing, soul-baring moments. I guess one of my fears in life is to one day turn around and realize that overnight, someone who loved me, no longer loves me- only because giving your love to another person is investing so much emotion and your own life into that person, whether they are a friend, sibling, family member, or significant other.
Now here is my attempt at a "Love is..." feel free to add your own in the comments section :)
"Love is...realizing that your life has been made better for knowing another person."
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
NEW YORK...er...New Jersey...or my spontaneous moment of the week
So...what happens when someone plants an idea in my head, and I can't get it out? Ask Bala about that one.
I'm minding my business, watching the Aggies (you know, this weekend had made me forget about that game...) and being fairly disappointed, AND, at the same time, writing a horrid paper for Dr. Toal's class, when I get a message from Bala.
The conversation went roughly like this:
Bala: Dude, come to NYC.
Me: ...I'm intrigued....but why don't you guys come here??
Bala: (something New York being cooler...whatever, blah blah blah) So yeah, you should come here.
Me: Let's see..........(5 minute pause while I check kayak) ok...I'm coming.
Bala: Ok.......wait....what? You just booked tickets..
Me: Yes.
Bala: And you are going to be here tomorrow.
Me: Yes.
Bala: Spaced out.
I proceeded to call Subash and Heather and let them know, and they were surprised, but I think, at the same time, a bit expectant that I would do something this spontaneous and impulsive.
Friday was a bit of a whirlwind, between classes, packing, catching the bus to the airport, and landing in NYC. Luckily, the flight to NY didn't take as long as it seemed; someone else I knew from Virginia Tech was also going to New York for the weekend, so she and I sat near each other and talked (the flight was pretty damn near empty).
Well, I land in LaGuardia, and I call Subash to let him know that I landed....and no answer...hrm....I think...well..I proceed to baggage claim, and lo and behold there is Mr. Subash Srinivasan. So we grab the luggage and through a series of busses and trains, get to Times Square! Subash works for Ernst and Young, and the office is right off of Times Square, so as you can see from the picture...the view is amazing.
From there, we went and met Bala in the village and started a long night of imbibing and debauchery, well into the morning. There are still some moments from that night that are coming back to me....I do remember now saying some not so nice things to the cabby in Hindi...because he was trying to get more money out of us for some reason. Whatever.
The next day, went and had some good South Indian food at Dosa Hut, but it was a shame that I could not enjoy it more- I was a bit blegh in the stomach...but that is expected after the night we had. The afternoon consisted of just random things and then going to Bala's. Bala cooked some excellent sambar, and from his place, he and I went to a couple of parties in Manhattan. The first one was kind of lame (no lie) and so we were only there for about an hour, and proceeded to a party at a lounge. This was a kickass party! It was right off Times Square on a rooftop terrace. We stayed out pretty late and then went back to Jersey. By this point, I was starting to become nocturnal.
Sunday mostly consisted of random errands and events (a cookout- with excellent food :) ) and getting ready for the work week (well...that wasn't me...because we all know how I work...). Later that evening, I took a train up to Upper Manhattan, and met with Heather and Nathan!! It was great to see them and spend time with them. On Monday, I met Bala for lunch...went to Central Park to read, and then hung out with Heather and Nathan around Columbia. Columbia was having some intersting things going on that day, as the Iranian president was there to give a speech. So naturally, there were a lot of cameras, protestors, and the crazies. I got interviewed by some journalism students doing a project. I'm a star now. Look for me on CNN someday.
So this morning, I caught a taxi and booked it to LGA. And when I got back, I just crashed for three hours. It was glorious. So now, I'm trying to get some schoolwork done. I'm amazed at the amount of work I didn't do this week....and the suprising amount of time it has taken me to get some of it done. I guess when I am under stress I just focus more....so yeah...and in three days, I'm leaving to go to Purdue!
Overall, it was an amazing weekend.....great to see old friends again, who made this such an amazing weekend! :)
I'm minding my business, watching the Aggies (you know, this weekend had made me forget about that game...) and being fairly disappointed, AND, at the same time, writing a horrid paper for Dr. Toal's class, when I get a message from Bala.
The conversation went roughly like this:
Bala: Dude, come to NYC.
Me: ...I'm intrigued....but why don't you guys come here??
Bala: (something New York being cooler...whatever, blah blah blah) So yeah, you should come here.
Me: Let's see..........(5 minute pause while I check kayak) ok...I'm coming.
Bala: Ok.......wait....what? You just booked tickets..
Me: Yes.
Bala: And you are going to be here tomorrow.
Me: Yes.
Bala: Spaced out.
I proceeded to call Subash and Heather and let them know, and they were surprised, but I think, at the same time, a bit expectant that I would do something this spontaneous and impulsive.
Friday was a bit of a whirlwind, between classes, packing, catching the bus to the airport, and landing in NYC. Luckily, the flight to NY didn't take as long as it seemed; someone else I knew from Virginia Tech was also going to New York for the weekend, so she and I sat near each other and talked (the flight was pretty damn near empty).
Well, I land in LaGuardia, and I call Subash to let him know that I landed....and no answer...hrm....I think...well..I proceed to baggage claim, and lo and behold there is Mr. Subash Srinivasan. So we grab the luggage and through a series of busses and trains, get to Times Square! Subash works for Ernst and Young, and the office is right off of Times Square, so as you can see from the picture...the view is amazing.
From there, we went and met Bala in the village and started a long night of imbibing and debauchery, well into the morning. There are still some moments from that night that are coming back to me....I do remember now saying some not so nice things to the cabby in Hindi...because he was trying to get more money out of us for some reason. Whatever.
The next day, went and had some good South Indian food at Dosa Hut, but it was a shame that I could not enjoy it more- I was a bit blegh in the stomach...but that is expected after the night we had. The afternoon consisted of just random things and then going to Bala's. Bala cooked some excellent sambar, and from his place, he and I went to a couple of parties in Manhattan. The first one was kind of lame (no lie) and so we were only there for about an hour, and proceeded to a party at a lounge. This was a kickass party! It was right off Times Square on a rooftop terrace. We stayed out pretty late and then went back to Jersey. By this point, I was starting to become nocturnal.
Sunday mostly consisted of random errands and events (a cookout- with excellent food :) ) and getting ready for the work week (well...that wasn't me...because we all know how I work...). Later that evening, I took a train up to Upper Manhattan, and met with Heather and Nathan!! It was great to see them and spend time with them. On Monday, I met Bala for lunch...went to Central Park to read, and then hung out with Heather and Nathan around Columbia. Columbia was having some intersting things going on that day, as the Iranian president was there to give a speech. So naturally, there were a lot of cameras, protestors, and the crazies. I got interviewed by some journalism students doing a project. I'm a star now. Look for me on CNN someday.
So this morning, I caught a taxi and booked it to LGA. And when I got back, I just crashed for three hours. It was glorious. So now, I'm trying to get some schoolwork done. I'm amazed at the amount of work I didn't do this week....and the suprising amount of time it has taken me to get some of it done. I guess when I am under stress I just focus more....so yeah...and in three days, I'm leaving to go to Purdue!
Overall, it was an amazing weekend.....great to see old friends again, who made this such an amazing weekend! :)
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
And the Truth Shall....
Telling the truth is a funny phenomenon. People say they want to know the truth; but honestly, deep down inside, I don't think a lot of people do. The truth can hurt; it can shatter false hopes and daydreams in a matter of seconds. These can be false hopes that have sustained a person for minutes, weeks, and sometimes years.
Particularly hurtful can be hearing the truth from those closest to us. In my personal experience, hell yeah, it hurts alot, but I have more respect for my friends or family because they had the courage to tell me the truth, first of all, but that they also showed me the respect to tell me the truth. More often than not, they tell me because they want to make me a better person, and for that, I am thankful and respectful to my friends.
Witholding the truth hurts mor than anything else, especially when it is uncovered. We don't mean to hurt the ones we love, but that is part of the human experience. The Truth hurts, but it is necessary.
it shall set you free- in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Particularly hurtful can be hearing the truth from those closest to us. In my personal experience, hell yeah, it hurts alot, but I have more respect for my friends or family because they had the courage to tell me the truth, first of all, but that they also showed me the respect to tell me the truth. More often than not, they tell me because they want to make me a better person, and for that, I am thankful and respectful to my friends.
Witholding the truth hurts mor than anything else, especially when it is uncovered. We don't mean to hurt the ones we love, but that is part of the human experience. The Truth hurts, but it is necessary.
it shall set you free- in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
The Twelve Greats
I have heard a proverb that states "Fate gives all of us three teachers, three friends, three enemies, and three great loves of our lives, but these tweleve are disguised, and we can never know which on is which until we've loved them, left them, or fought them."
The difficulty, also, becomes when one appears to be one of the others: when does a friend become a teacher or a love become an enemy? Perhaps this is a revelation we come to at the end of our lives; while you are in it, the lines become blurred and confused and those you wish to be that great love fail you, your friends betray you, and your enemies turn out to be your greatest teachers.
The difficulty, also, becomes when one appears to be one of the others: when does a friend become a teacher or a love become an enemy? Perhaps this is a revelation we come to at the end of our lives; while you are in it, the lines become blurred and confused and those you wish to be that great love fail you, your friends betray you, and your enemies turn out to be your greatest teachers.
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