What do you believe about love?

So much I could say about love. But one thing that really moves me the most about love is what an amazing transformative power it has. I have a story to illustrate:

My junior high school had a standing awards in a variety of academic subjects, given to the students who scored highest on special tests. The winners had their names announced in an annual ceremony, and engraved on permanent plaques in the school lobby. It was the greatest honor in our young lives.

During my last year in school, my twin sister and I were both exceptional students, and both of us felt sure we'd win at least one each. I remember my surprise, when the award ceremony came, to hear her name and my name read over and over again. I didn't expect that! But even more surprising to me was my reaction to what was happening. I found myself rooting for my sister Jo each time, not me. I intuitively felt that my pleasure in winning would be greatly diminished by any disappointment she might feel. But my pleasure at her victory would be undiminshed. So I really preferred her to win, and I inwardly and outwardly rejoiced every time her name was called.

Years later, I realized that was the awakening of mature love in my young heart. It blossomed as a beautiful self-transcending, joyful motivation in a girl who had never given unselfishness a second thought.

People illustrate this same power when they tell that story about the mother who lifted a car to rescue her run-over child. Under no other circumstances could that woman have performed that feat.

The mom who lifted the car is an extreme and unusual circumstance. But love has wrought similar miracles, on smaller a smaller scale, in many many lives. People transcend themselves regularly for love. They discipline their anger, they overcome their fatigue, they ignore their fear, they break their bad habits. I truly think love has changed more people for the better than religion (in fact, many of the people who have had spiritual transformations actually were motivated by love).

Love makes us greater, stronger, bigger than we otherwise would be — as great, strong, and big as we were meant to be.