What is Love?

I have been hearing a lot lately about the supposed love affair the liberal media is having with President Obama. And listening to the President speak last night, it made me realize why. Why do we love? What are the attributes we look for in someone we admire? Respect, kindness, thoughtfulness, these are the traits we value in our loved ones.

And can there be any question that President Obama shows these traits? I must admit here that I was not an early supporter of President Obama. I came to admire him by listening to him speak, by listening to the First Lady, by watching them together and with their children and by reading everything I can on his policies, his administration and the stimulus package.

I am not one who believes in love at first site, nor do I give my respect easily, but neither do I give it grudgingly.

Listening to the President speak, I vowed it would be the last time I listened alone. His vision and the scope of his plan awed and shocked me. I wanted someone to hug, someone to smile with, and someone to cry with. I wept openly, allowing the fear and horror I have often felt to wash out of me, and replaced it with hope and faith. Another feeling I do not come by easily.

We are at an important place, and as the President said, when our children look back at this moment, I want my daughter to know that I acted with intention. That in this most important moment, I followed my conscience, my heart, and yes, my intuition.

I will not falter, nor will I turn away from this task. It is at moments like this, that we show our true colors. So the next time someone accuses the media of having a love affair with the President, I will say, so what? Isn’t it about time we had someone we could respect & admire in the White House? And isn’t that what love really is? We have a challenge before us, and a call to action. I hope that when the time comes, I have the courage to act.

Love is scary, love can hurt, but love can also conquer all. And maybe some will say it is inappropriate to speak about love and politics together, but what is love if not faith in someone? And what is politics but belief in something? Maybe it is time we combine the two, have faith we can believe in someone and something.

I have often been accused of loving ideals more than people. And hearing the President speak made me remember why. It is to our highest self we must look to when we love. Because only our best self is worthy or capable of such emotion. We must all learn how to love again, love each other, love our country, love life.

Then our highest self will help us to overcome the petty, nasty, immature spirit that has held us down for too long.