How I choose LOVE in the face of Tragedy-

Yesterday’s post went viral and with that comes the good, the bad and the UGLY. There were the me too comments, the heartfelt comments, and the comments that asked “how I could ever feel okay about what happened?” and those are the comments I want to address.

 

If there is one thing I have learned in this life it is that I don’t have to be okay with someone’s choices/mistakes or the outcome of that choice to continue to love them through it.

 

As I am a religious person the only way I can think to explain this way of thinking is to take it back to my relationship with God. I have made some big mistakes in my life and even at my lowest point, full of anger with Him – He continued to love me through it. Did He like the choices I was making? I am sure not but I always felt His love for me. I have also had this experience with my own parents as I grew up. I am sure there were times they wanted to ring my neck for the things I did, but I always felt their love, even when they didn’t agree with me. No matter what has happened in my life there have always been people there who have loved me through it and I am sure, if you asked them, they wouldn’t approve of the choice I had made but they loved me anyway.

 

And so it is with others in my little heart.

 

Sometimes the ugliest of stories have the most beautiful endings. I have seen people make some horrible mistakes, with life altering consequences, and yet, they have went on to do extraordinary things with the things they have learned on their journey. Sometimes the ugliest details are weaved into the most beautiful people.

 

People have said my heart is too big, and I have thought a lot about that, but maybe the point of this life is to make our hearts bigger…to love more…to forgive more…. to show compassion more. Some think this is a crazy way of thinking and maybe they are right, but I’d like to think, if that is the way God has worked in my own life, IT IS THE RIGHT WAY.

 

So… you ask “How can you be okay with what happened? How can you rally around people who have made HUGE mistakes?” and my reply will always be-

 

I do NOT have to be okay with others mistakes to love them through the consequences.

 

It’s just what I do.

 

I am sure if you look back on your own life you’ll find there are people who have loved you through your ugly too. So…I guess my question for you is…. “How could you not?”  It’s easy to love people we know through the ugly but what about strangers…Do they deserve the same compassion we would show our loved ones if they were in the same boat? Just think about it.

 

LOVE WINS!

 

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