Love

Love - a very simple word with a very complex meaning behind it. Who can fully comprehend the power of love and its impact on people?

There was this 3 month old baby suffering from chronic lung disease, swallowing difficulties and respiratory distress. Everyday, she would be fed through the NG tube; she needed oxygen to support to survive. Everyday, she only sleeps, and occasionally wakes up for minutes before sleeping again, without noting anything around her. Still, her mother would always be there, daily. She would be there by the cot-side just looking at her daughter, ready to attend to her whenever she makes the smallest cry. One day, when the baby was ready to go home, her mum could only grin from ear to ear with a tear of joy in her eye.

This 10 year old girl was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. As students, we just went through the motion of asking about her dad about her condition, her signs and symptoms with all the other typical questions. Halfway through the conversation, daddy's eyes notably turned red, his speech started to tremble a little, as he forced out the words: she'll need to take her medicine for the rest of her life...

A 9 year old girl had a rare metabolic disorder. She was not born normal and she would never be normal. While she sat in the bed playing with picture cards, her dad simply sat at the side, looking at her lovingly, smiling whenever his daughter handed him two cards to piece together, picking up the dropped cards without the slightest complain even though this happens non-stop for hours. Her life depended on enzyme replacement therapy every 2 weeks each costing a hefty SGD1500 after subsidy. He told us, "Well, our family simply lives from day to day. Actually, last time the doctor said she would only live up to 5 years old." You could feel within him, that he had mixed feelings of joy and hurt.

This young kid was admitted to the hospital and stayed in the wards for almost a month before he went home. During his stay, he was hyperactive - running around the whole ward, being the big brother to the other kids, finding friends, playing happily. Nobody would guess that he was a victim of child abuse. The day he was discharged, he called out to me (at the bus stop) - my first reflex was to ask, "Wa, going home already ah?" The reply came back rather drearily, "ya..." His eyes were downcast, he evidently preferred to stay in the hospital than at home where he could find ... if i dare say... more love than in the past...

Stories like these aren't uncommon. There are parents who love their children so dearly and rejoice in their recovery. Others are forced to accept the harsh reality that face their children. Still, others do not treasure what they have, and bring sorrow to self and others around them.

Wouldn't it be great if every family is bonded purely by love, love that is modeled upon perfection - patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud; does not dishonour others, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs; doesn't delight in evil but rejoices with the truth; love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres; love that never fails...

Love is so powerful in so many ways. The presence or absence of it can make or break a person. It can build relationships or destroy them. It can make a family everything... or nothing...

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Show me how to love like You have loved me