Alone, But Not Alone

Imagine you are part of a gathering of loved ones and/or friends, disconnected and oblivious to the love and emotional connections around you.  People stop to compliment the nice shirt you're wearing, even talk with you and tell you how wonderful it is to hear about the professional, spiritual, emotional, and other accomplishments you're achieving.  Yet, something in your heart (or head) tells you that you cannot relate, that you are not "able" to make friends there, or whatever other nonsense that you can think of that would prevent you from socializing.  I would call this either Satan's whisperings, trouble with depression or another mental illness,  or perhaps just a lack of desire to be around such individuals.  It seems as though I have often played the part of that individual, only to realize it doesn't serve me and to turn back.  How often I have believed myself to be alone, but really would have experienced companionship had I opened my eyes!

So many good people around me show me love, compassion, friendship, brotherhood, and more, and yet because they did not speak my love language, I have mistakenly thought I could not understand them at all.  Does it take perfect understanding (or any at all, I might add) to know that people are communicating love in a foreign language?  Hands that serve, gifts passing from hand to hand, smiles, laughter, hugs, hand-holding, people sitting together and talking- are these all not witnesses of love?  As I have pondered over the nature of love for the past couple of months, I have come to realize how much I, Spencer Stevens, am loved by those surrounding me.  What is my point?  You, my Reader, are loved!!!  You may feel alone, you may feel abandoned, betrayed, lost, hurt, or whatever, but I promise you have love in your life if you will open your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear the beautiful symphony of love around you.  If a symphony is playing, and I want to know who is playing what, even deafness couldn't stop me from pointing out who is playing what instrument.  Similarly, it is the same with love languages.  Different people speak different love languages, but merely by virtue of observing them, you can easily know and feel of their meaningful existence!

In addition, even if you are the most hated, rejected, and isolated individual in the whole world, you are NEVER alone.  If you tune in through the Spirit and reach out, the inseparability of God's love will immediately reach into your soul in return and start healing your heart.  A heart can only receive love once it first gives it.  We love Him because He first loved us, John the Beloved taught, and that includes loving others-because whatever we do unto others, we do unto Him.  It is all the same.  Loving others is no different than loving God.  Therefore, as I have discovered, when we freely give our love with zero expectations of others-including reciprocation-something miraculous happens.  People begin opening up, putting down their walls, and loving us in return.  But here's the trick- it is never coerced and never put up on a scoreboard.  It never has "strings attached".  Love is everything Paul described it as... something beautiful, glorious, and celestial.  Remember that Heavenly Father and the Savior love you with deep, unwavering, and inseparable love.  The journey to opening your eyes permanently to love around you may prove difficult, but as you take it, you'll discover at first you may feel alone, but eventually come to see and feel how much you're loved and surrounded by friendship, family, acquaintences, and companionship.  Love all of you!