February 2020 Round Table Discussion

Our discussion with facilitator, Dr. Darrel Watson was quite interesting. The conversation was centered around our definitions of love; what influenced our definitions of love; the enemies or hindrances of love in the world, our community and our lives.

Here are some of our takeaways:

• Love Definition and Influences

• Love is the opening door

• Love is the most powerful source in the universe

• Love in action is social justice

• Love makes us feel good about others

• We can love others without liking them

• Love is difficult

• Love is the act of intentionally focusing on other needs, desires and what’s in their best interest as well as yours- reach out to other persons and elevate them.

• Love is to give of oneself unconditionally to lift up others in a manner than imitate Christ

• Love is unconditional acceptance

• Love is emotional interconnection

• Love is not based or weight on material goods that we can provide for others

• Love is embracing all of humanity

• Love is a choice/decision

• Love is the divine motive which has its goal the eternal and the earthly good of both the self and the other

• Influence was watching others work for justice for all example sister Helen Prejean

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

• Influence was watching my parents provide for the needs of others

• Love is motive - why am I doing what I am doing?

• Love is understanding your limits as well as the limits of others

Enemies of love:

• Fear, greed, pride, judgment, envy

• Intolerance

• Fear of change

• Values

• Complacency

• Ourselves allowing others to hinder us

• Hypocrites – people who says one thing and practice something else

• Difficult when others do not understand what we are saying

• Others who are not on our level of understanding love

Even though love is difficult because behaviors sometime create roadblocks for others to love us unconditionally, we have to be intentional in not allowing others to determine how we respond.