Love. The word love has riddled so many. On one hand, love is a simple four-letter word, L-O-V-E, on the other, love has been the demise of many. Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” Yes, love is a simple four-letter word, but man, is it way complicated: breaking down love. What is love? In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Apostle Paul writes, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” Scripture preserves this passage and transcends time but, I question, is love more simple?

To my five-year old daughter who is in kindergarten, love is so rudimentary. My daughter told me one night as I was tucking her in, “Daddy, God loves me and I love everyone.” I was completely stunned by her powerful words. “God loves me and I love everyone.” It is so simple, so innocent, yet so poignant. Around the same time, I was in the middle of reading A Course In Miracles. The book reads, “God is love. We were created in His image which means that we are extensions of His love.” I repeat, God is love. We are created in His image which means that we are extensions of His love. Those words mirror what my five-year old daughter said, “God loves me and I love everyone.” At such a young age she has captured the essence of A Course In Miracles, a book that many people read; a practice that many people try to implement in their adult lives.

In a quest to break down love, I made it a point to study my daughter. I love the way she treats everyone she meets as a friend. Her loving energy radiates as she smiles from ear to ear as she reaches out her hand in search of someone to play with. A Course In Miracle states, “When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him, you will see yourself. For in him you will find yourself or lose yourself.” My daughter treats every encounter as a holy encounter. She finds joy in meeting someone new and most of the time receives the same affection of love in return.

My daughter has no prejudices and plays with anyone who shows any willingness to play. She has not developed the many veils we gain as adults. She allows love to immediately enter her life because she truly wants it.

I break down love to its basic form: God is love. Because God is Love, Love is in me. Because I am a glorious child of God, I am joyful, serene, positive, and loving. Many people fail to understand the simplicity of love. Recognize, that those who have no love have little faith in themselves because they are unwilling to accept the fact that perfect love is in them, in you, and in me. As you start your Valentine’s Day weekend, I encourage you to make “God is love” a mantra and remember the inherent ease of love; love broken down and dissected, through the eyes of a 5-year old: love is a miracle, not because love is rare, but because Love is divine, from Him.