When you love someone who doesn’t understand love the road is a long, excruciatingly painful one. You think you have two choices – turn and walk away or press on with it. In reality, even though the other option exists, if you really do understand love, you only have one choice. In the words of Charlotte on Private Practice:
“You can’t give up on the things you love – not ever!”
That might seem like a trivial statement until you love someone that doesn’t understand love. One might say non-chalantly, “Oh I would never give up on those I love.” Until those you love give up on you. Then that statement is not so trivial anymore. It’s larger than life. You come to the realization that they don’t get it and you are fighting a losing battle. Now “wtf” do you do?
The answer is always the same. If you really love them you still only have one choice. You stay. You may stay far away. You may stay quiet. You may stay uninvolved. You may stay in prayer only. But you stay.
When God was planting the garden He had that seed for the famous tree in His pocket. He knew the havoc that tree was going to cause. The angel said to Him, “Why are you planting that tree? Wouldn’t it be easier to just not give them the choice?” I think God’s answer is the most profound statement I ever heard. When I first read it I almost stopped breathing. He answered:
“To take away the choice is to take away the love.”
If you never had the choice you would never know love. You would never know the option of walking away exists. Only by choosing to stay, no matter what, do you ever come to realize the magnanimity of love. The length and breath of it are enough to overcome the unfairness of it. The truth that “Love never fails” suddenly comes into focus.
And so, as another day goes by, the choice, for me, anyway, is clear, and…..I have written.
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