tyler ward.

I find myself in my small world that has made “love” trendy. It has taken the most dynamic entity in history and made it a tool, strategy, or means to an end. My teenage years, invested in trying to stay out of trouble, told me “love” was the only other option. My scholarly life taught me to present “love” as a currency for good relations with my teachers and, in turn, graduation. My evangelical roots taught me to “love” people to save people. My professional existence gives “love” the role of creating trust and respect in order to empower a contract or partnership. My marriage has persevered through it’s share of days where “love” was simply a tool to make our lives less turbulent, to have better sex, or to get what i want.

As i read the new testament, i feel the injustice of my trendy little world that has neutered love and lessened it to a step in self-help or another checked box in my pursuit of happiness. I sense love’s revenge inside my soul trying to explain that “love isn’t a means to an end. It’s the point.” Love is not motivated by gain, it’s inspired by one’s epiphany that it’s the superior value, action, and energy in life…That existence is now simply a journey in learning how to pull the intangible and near impossible reality of authentic love into everyday life with intention to learn it, enjoy it and deliver it.