Sex God C5: She Ran into the Girls' Bathroom

This chapter is all about how love requires risk, and that risk can bite us in the butt sometimes (boy, don't we all know THAT!)  Heartbreak is as old as the creation of the universe.  It's something that evey human experiences at least once (at. least.) and an emotion that God shares with us.  He gets rejected all of the time! 

True love is giving.  Love isn't selfish.  We consider our partner, want to further them, encourage them, support them.  We expect that same kind of love in return.  If these things aren't present (on both sides) then this isn't love - it's using and abusing. 

I love his writing on how there is a Strength that is a Weakness, and a Weakness that is a Strength.  He uses the belligerant father as an example.  He *seems* strong, but he really isn't.  He isn't strong enough to love his family the way they deserve, and the way that HE deserves.  Harking back to the beginning of this book, when we mistreat others, we also mistreat and disrespect ourselves.

Also, what about the person who returns cruelty with kindness?  We all know that responding to a jerk with love is nothing short of a superhuman feat!  Kindness under adversity takes a great deal of strength and fortitude. Loving your enemy is tough. By this, I don't mean staying with an abuser, I mean that sometimes, loving YOURSELF and others means letting them go.  This also applies to that mean person sitting next to you on the bus.

In the world's eyes, Ghandi was a weak man, but look at all he accomplished simply by the strength of his convictions.  No guns, no derision, only integrity.  The world had no choice but to listen.

Bell ends with recovery in the face of heartbreak.  The true tragedy would be if we allowed a traumatic breakup to build a wall around our heart.  The failure would be in allowing our heart to darken and die, becoming someone incapable of truly loving ourselves and the world around us.

Well said!

WEEKLY PRACTICE:

Can I continue to give to myself and others around me, even after I have been burned by a difficult relationship?

QUESTIONS:

• Am I afraid to risk in love?
• Can I commit to my partner?
• Do I feel safe committing to my partner?
• Is my partner committing to me?
• Do we respect each other?
• Do I allow my past experiences to ruin my present?
• Do I experience self-inflicted loneliness?