Love: How It Can Heal You

In the beginning and in the end, I believe there is and always will be love. In my Healing Touch Series, I have shared my personal journey on the discovery of my gift in healing. My perceptions have been defined and redefined as my mind began to take on new ways of thinking and understanding flowed in mighty streams of consciousness.

It is my belief that love is the most powerful force behind all of life. It is the reason why I exist, who I am and why I do the things I do. It is the one that motivates me to reach out and assist another in his/her journey to healing and living a life of joy.

I believe love will heal you...just as it had healed me.

Each individual needs different kinds of spaces in order to bloom. Some people need places where they can attend to the needs of others; some needs space where they can be quiet and alone while others want to be in the company of people most of the time. Some enjoy being in places where they can exercise their creativity; some love the thrill of an adventure while others love to work in a structured environment.

Whatever space you need at the moment, it is important to remember that love recognizes and respects that we may need something differently. Watch and observe yourself or those around you.

In what type of places are you thriving? Sometimes we feel we are in the right place and sometimes not. If we are, we feel wonderful. If we are not, trouble is brewing in the air and we may need to find that space where we can grow the most.

Do you recall an experience in your life when someone looked at you with so much gentleness and love? Or how about the exact opposite? Yes they looked at you (and sometimes they couldn’t even look at you) but it is full of disappointment, anger or frustration. How did that make you feel?

I have come to acknowledge that we live in a world where opposites abound. And yet to be surrounded with positive energy is the one that uplifts, supports and encourages. It nourishes the soul as the sun gives warmth to the earth.

I’ve had my share of negativity and pain in my life. And looking back, I am deeply grateful for the people that God had sent and continues to send my way. People who loved me. They come in many forms – a beloved grandma, a guidance counselor, a best friend, an ex-boyfriend, a spiritual partner, sisters in my community, a mentor; even those I barely know, a taxi driver, a writer, a stranger on the elevator and the list goes on.

In those moments, I basked in their acceptance of me, their being there for me, and their encouragement and belief in me. The words they speak brought me up after a fall, hope during times of despair and laughter and light to keep me moving in my journey. There are indeed many angels among us.

The grass is always greener on the other side, some people might say. Until you just stop moaning over the fact that your life is so miserable only then can you see that your own garden is full of beauty as well.

Several years ago, I remember that time I stood in the roof overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a preschool; added to that was the feeling of aloneness since I was without support from those that I needed it badly. I shouted all my anger and frustration at the world for being so unfair, seemingly cruel, and full of despair.

I do not hate myself for going through all that because now I have moved beyond my pain and allowed myself to enjoy what is. To accept and enjoy all of what is there in my life, no exceptions. I now take the time to savor each moment, to live and enjoy the present moment. Love and honor for life, for others and myself have grown tremendously with this acceptance.

The world is in a hurry. We seem to be running after time or time is running after us. But I have come to realize that love focuses on the process of becoming. That if we really take the time to marvel at our unfolding, wow, each moment becomes a moment of grace. We would look at ourselves and others very differently. We would be more patient because we know that each of us is growing in the pace that we have chosen. We would be thankful for all the minute details that comprise the bigger picture. And life would be full of endless discoveries and opportunities.

One day several years ago, I discovered my head had two big, smooth, bald patches on it.  I was starting to get sick and I didn’t know it. That experience taught me the value of loving myself.

There has been a lot of debates regarding the topic of loving the self. Some would advocate that loving the self is being selfish while others feel loving the self should come last in your list of whom to love. I have learned that if I don’t even start to love myself, I wouldn't know how to genuinely love others. If I don’t practice compassion, understanding and acceptance of myself, I will have a hard time being compassionate, understanding and accepting of others as well.

I have learned to be gentle and forgiving of myself. And in the process of loving, I have discovered the joy of seeing myself view others in a more positive and kinder way. I am joyful when I see that I am responding to situtations and events in a better way too.

So I invite you to allow love to build a bridge back to yourself. After that, you can start building bridges to other people’s hearts.

In my friendship with God, I have been surrounded by His gentleness and love. No matter how much I pushed Him away, He never stopped loving me. The day I realized that no matter what I was going to do...that He will continue to love me anyway, I stopped resisting and decided to accept His unconditional love. That changed my whole world.

And so I started to heal. I knew then that if God could love us that way, I was in the best place. I knew then that He would send me the right people to help me in my journey. And they always come in the right time. He didn’t rob me of my pain because I needed to grow and learn from each and every experience. I learned to stop being in a hurry “to get on and finish life” but rather enjoy each moment and welcome new discoveries. I’ve build my bridge back to myself. And so I am able to tell you as sincerely as I can that it is true. Love heals.

It healed me. And I believe it will heal you too.

By: Michelle Simtoco