Dear Fr. Joe: How do I know if I am in
love? My parents say I am too young to think about marrying my high school
sweetheart, but I know we are in love and made for each other.
Well,
to quote one of my more articulate students "Hey man, love rocks,
you know?".
I know.
Anyway, let me see if I can’t give you a couple ideas to help you.
First of all, your parents, as a general rule, know what they are talking
about. I know that is hard to believe, but as time goes on, it will become
clearer and clearer to you. This of course, doesn’t apply to me however,
because I am a fountain of wisdom and knowledge.
Second, think about how your definition of love has changed over time.
When I was in kindergarten, I knew I was in love. How did I know I was
in love? I knew when Marcia beat me up on playground. Now, 27 years later,
I see and understand love in a different way. As I continue to grow older,
what I understand as love changes and grows with me.
Now, this doesn’t mean my ideas of love were wrong before and this
doesn’t take away from or undermine what I felt. It means that, in
retrospect, I am glad I didn’t make lifelong decisions about love
before I was ready, before I understood what love really is.
So, how will you know if you are in love? Well, one day, you will look
across a crowded room, your eyes will meet and you’ll know.
Just kidding.
How will you know you are in love? When you are more concerned about the
other person’s happiness than you are your own. When you no longer
care about what you can get or how you feel, but rather are concerned
with the other. If it’s true love, the other person will feel the
same way.
Love and Sacrifice are so intertwined with each other as to be indistinguishable.
Love will prompt us to noble things. It will compel is to be better people.
You’ll know you are in love when you sense these things in yourself.
Enjoy another day in God’s presence!
Fr. Joe
e-mail your questions to faithteen@parishmail.com
or joeinblack@priest.com
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