Love Conquers All

My daughter’s life passion is the love of children, especially infants. After her last baby was born, she was thrilled to land a job as an infant teacher where she could cuddle and care for these little beings all day. She was allowed to bring her own small children as well; thus this job was the perfect fit for her. But then the needs of her employer changed. They moved her from the infants’ room to the toddlers’ room where she was called upon to chase after and care for toddlers all day. At first she was very disappointed and upset since toddlers are so much work. They are definitely high maintenance, mainly because they are mobile—an understatement, to say the least. Caring for these active little beings is like herding kittens, only toddlers weigh a lot more than kittens! It is both a physically and emotionally demanding job.

A few weeks later, I was pleased to see the smile back on my daughter’s face. In fact, she was practically beaming. I asked her if she had been able to return to the infants’ room, but she

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said no. The difference was that after adjusting to her new duties, she had become very attached to the toddlers. They adored her as well. She showed me pictures and told me their names and shared little stories about them. Clearly, she had fallen in love with the toddlers! Love conquers all.
 
I was recently inspired by a TV show in which a man was interviewed about having spent over half of his childhood in an off-grid cult in a very remote area. He and his mom and sister and the other members lived there in almost total isolation from society. He learned some useful things while there, such as gardening and self-sufficiency. But the mind control and religious programming were clearly detrimental to his well being. When asked, “How did you get out?” He replied that his mother had fallen in love with a man from the same community. Together they made a plan, gathered up her kids and escaped. “As it turns out,” the man said, “Love is stronger than a cult.”
 
The thing about love is that it grows when you give it. A word of caution, though: One can become depleted if all they do is give to others. Giving and receiving must be in balance. It’s not possible to pour from an empty cup. It would be like trying only to exhale and never inhale. Receiving is a way to fill your cup. If you humble yourself and allow others to love you, that is one way. Another is to give to yourself first. Find and do things that bring you joy, so that your cup is full and you have something to give to others. Keep it circulating. Love truly conquers all!