Love

“If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were
always yours. And if they don't, they never were.”

- Kahlil Gibran, 1883-1931,
Lebanese Poet, Novelist

I woke up this morning on my sister’s sofa in London. She had to go into hospital last night with abdominal pains. Luckily, I was in London on business yesterday evening and was able to come over to look after her kids while the ambulance took her away. Her older son (9 years old) got busy managing the defragmentation of her computer hard disk after comforting her while they were waiting for the ambulance. Love in action!

Love is the big one. And Kahlil Gibran has incredible wisdom and insight. It is worth reading his book The Prophet, which illuminates several areas including the topic of love. Indeed, his quotation is so devastatingly simple and clear that I find it difficult to write much to add to it. The expression “Truth is true” seems appropriate. How easy is it to let someone go that you love, really? It is simple (and obvious) but not easy. This may be because we are possessive, whether it is in a romantic relationship, a family relationship, or a relationship with friends. We are torn between wanting them to be happy and well, and wanting them to be with us. Ideally, those two desires would be in harmony, but sometimes they are not.

We are human. And thus we have our foibles and weaknesses. So we must learn to forgive ourselves and bring more of our truly loving selves into being.