We have been created by Love and for love, in such a way that our life could be summed up as the path in which we learn how to learn to love and be loved. We are people “on the way,” learning how to be the people God has created us to be. During our life we need affection, attention, and time from other people; we cannot do it alone. We become more authentically human through our relationships with others and with our encounters with the world.

However, due to our needs, we often become accustomed to demanding love and attention from others. How important it is for the health of our relationships that we learn that no one owes us anything, that even if we need it, we have no right to demand love! Sometimes we ask for more love than what others can give, and we become unfair. How can we remedy this dynamic with our sisters and brothers? We need to learn to be grateful to others for the time they dedicate to us, for their presence, for what they bring to this world. Being grateful can humanize us. It reminds us of the love God has for us and how we can respond to his love.

This is why it is necessary to take a moment and distance ourselves from things, to recognize how much good that we receive from others and how much love we receive daily without having done anything for it. How much love there is in our lives! Developing the ability to recognize the love in our lives can enable us to love in return. When we feel the love others give us, we become more capable of loving others.

Take some time each day to recognize the concrete love you receive from others, the smiles, hugs, help, or even the presence of others. Being grateful makes us more human and enables us to love more as Christ loves us.

Bettina Raed
International Coordinator
The Way of the Heart