Earlier today, I was at an event for the Children's Hospital of LA, and I had the pleasure and privilege to be inspired by a girl of about 15 who aspires to perform on Broadway. Partway through the event, this girl came on stage to deliver a speech as the other former patients of CHLA had given before her, so I didn't really expect anything profound. How wrong I was. This girl, who has survived multiple cardiac illnesses and numerous operations and procedures, came on stage and delivered a well-crafted speech that was delivered with the finesse of a politician. However, what hit me the most was a single sentence she uttered. It struck me with awe because as I listened to her, I realized the struggle she has had to overcome, and yet she perseveres through it all. I surprised myself in the amount of respect I felt for her - not only because I have never met this girl personally but also because I am not normally a person who jumps to great admiration of another so quickly.
The sentence she uttered was: "Hearts are judged not on the amount of love they can give but on how much they are loved." In the instant that I heard that sentence, I immediately refuted it in my mind. I have always felt that hearts must be judged not according to the perceptions that others have of you. If we try to bend ourselves to the whims of others, where does that leave us? Should we not judge a heart on the amount they care for others? Does that not give them the essence of human decency? Are we expected to succumb to the desires of the exterior if we are to be judged positively? These are the thoughts that entered my mind as I heard her go on about her experiences, ambitions, and hopes.
While I can say for sure that I hold fast to my belief of placing the importance of loving over being loved, I must admit the alternate intrigues me. While the context of the statement by no means indicated such, the idea that judgment is made upon the notion of how much we are loved says a lot. In the eyes of those around us, our value is placed on how much we are loved and how we are praised publicly. It matters very little (and possibly nothing) how much the love we hold in our hearts for others. Let's face it, when was the last time you admired someone for their ability to share and convey love to others? Now, when was the last time you looked up to, admired, praised, or commented on celebrities? While (most/some) celebrities are deserving of their fame, it is not for their ability to love that they are praised. It is because they are loved by others that they are praised even more. It is the mob mentality, and the world is reduced to a generalized drone.
I don't know which side of the equation is heavier, or even if it is an equation, but I hold fast to my opinion of loving surpassing being loved. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just can't justify judging more positively those who are simply loved more over those who have the heart to love with real passion...
The sentence she uttered was: "Hearts are judged not on the amount of love they can give but on how much they are loved." In the instant that I heard that sentence, I immediately refuted it in my mind. I have always felt that hearts must be judged not according to the perceptions that others have of you. If we try to bend ourselves to the whims of others, where does that leave us? Should we not judge a heart on the amount they care for others? Does that not give them the essence of human decency? Are we expected to succumb to the desires of the exterior if we are to be judged positively? These are the thoughts that entered my mind as I heard her go on about her experiences, ambitions, and hopes.
While I can say for sure that I hold fast to my belief of placing the importance of loving over being loved, I must admit the alternate intrigues me. While the context of the statement by no means indicated such, the idea that judgment is made upon the notion of how much we are loved says a lot. In the eyes of those around us, our value is placed on how much we are loved and how we are praised publicly. It matters very little (and possibly nothing) how much the love we hold in our hearts for others. Let's face it, when was the last time you admired someone for their ability to share and convey love to others? Now, when was the last time you looked up to, admired, praised, or commented on celebrities? While (most/some) celebrities are deserving of their fame, it is not for their ability to love that they are praised. It is because they are loved by others that they are praised even more. It is the mob mentality, and the world is reduced to a generalized drone.
I don't know which side of the equation is heavier, or even if it is an equation, but I hold fast to my opinion of loving surpassing being loved. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just can't justify judging more positively those who are simply loved more over those who have the heart to love with real passion...