Loving the next child, grandchild or friend doesn’t lessen our ability to love the people we already know. We sometimes fear that love is a finite resource, and that as we love more people, we’ll run out of love.
But love isn’t a subtraction problem. It’s a multiplication opportunity. The more people we do love, the more people we can love.
Love is like a chemical fire. If you throw more reactants into the flames, it just burns hotter. That’s why big families can be happy families. That’s why couples in love invite people over for dinner. That’s why Jesus addressed both human and divine love when he was asked which commandment was greatest in God’s eyes.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength … and your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:29-31)
The more we love God, the more we can love people. And the more we love people, the more we can love God.
Time is limited. But love is not. Love multiplies.
– Nelsonia