Tag Archives: Love

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Love’s Embrace: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness

Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

The weight of my transgression pressed down upon me, a suffocating shroud of shame. Guilt, a venomous serpent, coiled within, its icy fangs sinking into my soul. I was a ship adrift on a sea of self-reproach, every wave a crashing indictment of my folly. Nowhere to hide, no escape from the stark, unforgiving truth that laid me bare.

And then, she. A beacon of grace in the tempest of my despair. Her gaze, a soft caress, met mine, a pool of understanding that mirrored the turmoil within. My hand, trembling, met hers, a lifeline in the storm. Her touch, a spark igniting warmth in the icy depths of my soul.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, her voice a silken thread, weaving a safety blanket of forgiveness. The words, a balm on my wounded spirit, soothing the raw, exposed edges of my soul. No judgment, no condemnation, only an unwavering acceptance, unconditional and profound.

In that moment, love, true love, descended, a celestial rain washing away the grime of my regret. To be seen, truly seen, in my vulnerability, naked and exposed before her, and yet, to be met with such compassion, such profound understanding – it was an experience that transcended mere emotion. It was a revelation.

Her words, a lifeline, buoyed me up from the abyss of self-recrimination. Her eyes, a wellspring of strength, infused me with the courage to rise, to face the world anew, reborn in the crucible of her love.

© Jurgens Pieterse. All rights reserved. 2025.

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Love: Keep It Simple

Love: Keep It Simple


Love is often made complex by societal expectations, cultural norms, and personal baggage. However, at its core, love is a simple and universal emotion. It doesn’t discriminate based on physical appearance, spiritual beliefs, or any other superficial factors.


The Essence of Love

  • Balance: Love is about finding equilibrium. It’s neither too much nor too little.
  • Yielding: Sometimes, love means letting go of your own desires to prioritize the happiness of another.
  • Compassion: Empathy and understanding are essential components of love.
  • Devotion: Love is a commitment to another person, regardless of circumstances.
  • Attraction: Love is a natural pull towards someone, both physically and emotionally.
  • Intimacy: Love is about sharing your deepest self with another.

The Mystery of Love

Love is a beautiful mystery. It’s a force that can transform lives, bring joy, and create lasting connections. By keeping love simple and focusing on its essential qualities, we can experience its true power and beauty

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Sun-Kissed Days and a Heart Full of Butterflies: My First Love

Sun-Kissed Days and a Heart Full of Butterflies: My First Love

Sixteen. The age that swaggered in with the promise of manhood. I sported it like a young lion with its first mane, a clumsy confidence propelling every step. Our family vacation, a sun-drenched bonus, added an extra spring to my walk as young and old splashed in the cool embrace of the public pool.

And then, in a single, sun-dappled moment, I was a goner.

There she lay, a vision in a red swimsuit, her legs long and graceful. Her raven hair and chocolate brown eyes, accentuated by a smile that could launch a thousand ships, stole my breath away. I was a moth, hopelessly drawn to the flame.

Hours melted into a nervous haze before I finally gathered the courage to approach her. Her smile, a beacon of youthful delight, greeted me. Her voice, oh, it was like honey dripping from an angel’s mouth. Our eyes met, and my heart did a hummingbird impression in my chest.

This young goddess, barely thirteen with the delicate promise of womanhood, captivated me. She fueled my imagination, sending it soaring into flights of sweet fantasy.

For the rest of the vacation, we were inseparable. The first brush of our hands, a spark of electricity, sent shivers down my spine. Her soft kiss on my lips, a secret shared under the summer sun, was a treasure beyond compare. We devoured each other’s words, spilling secrets and dreams with youthful abandon. In her, I saw a kindred spirit, a soulmate. The very first.

Night after night, I drifted to sleep impatient for dawn, eager to greet another day with this enchanting creature.

But vacations, like all good things, have a cruel habit of ending. All too soon. Leaving her felt like ripping a piece of my soul out. The song in my heart morphed into a lump in my throat. Life, with its cruel sense of humor, tore us apart. Promises of future visits were a meager consolation prize as I wallowed in despair. The drive home was a blur, tears threatening to spill over my cheeks, held back only by the ironclad rule: “Boys don’t cry.” My only solace, a grainy photograph taken by the pool, her image a constant companion in my clenched fist.

A single, glorious weekend visit later, our fairy tale drew to a close. It was the final sigh of a beautiful journey, one that would later imbue Romeo and Juliet with a profound meaning. The exquisite pleasure of that first touch, that first kiss, was forever etched in my memory, alongside the deep pang of loss.

Yet, her memory endures. Her gentle spirit, her radiant smile, a testament to the kindness she showered upon me. Years later, with the ever-evolving world of technology, I searched for her on Facebook, but to no avail. Even today, a part of me longs for one last meeting, to look into her eyes, perhaps a little wiser, a little more wrinkled, and simply thank her for being the melody in my heart, the very first spark of love.

Daily writing prompt
Write about your first crush.
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~ love, compassion and fellow-kindness ~

Life is too short for arguments and animosity. We have limited time to love and be loved, to build, care, and serve.

Love is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life. It is the energy that binds us together and gives us a sense of purpose. When we love others, we are opening ourselves up to the possibility of being loved in return. This can be a vulnerable experience, but it is also one of the most rewarding.

I choose with determination today not to defile my life with negative vibes and thoughts projected to me. I hold on to the hope that love is stronger than hate and criticism.

I know from experience that it is difficult not to lash back when someone’s behavior is unfair. It takes courage to act from compassion and to continue to live within a strong flow of fellow kindness.

Compassion is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It is a powerful force for good in the world. When we are compassionate, we are able to connect with others on a deep level and offer them support and understanding. This can help to heal old wounds and build bridges between people.

Yes, we need to set boundaries against the misuse and abuse of kindness. But we need not make those boundaries boundaries against the flow of nurturing and understanding. Our hearts can still be open while setting strong barriers to maintain our own integrity and well-being.

The barrier itself is not the challenge. It is the motivation and emotions we put in place to establish the boundary that matters. A boundary that pushes people away like hate and anger is inherently destructive and leads to isolation. A boundary that still allows for the free flow of compassion allows us to remain present for others and to serve and nurture without the need for any return or recognition.

We give freely what is within our power to give. We maintain a harmony and coherence that is free from external influences. Justice requires boundaries, and we uphold those boundaries for optimal social cohesion. Courage and compassion allow us to maintain the presence that facilitates optimal conditions to restore peace and re-establish harmony and balance.

Forgiveness and tolerance are the magical gateways to find peace and create an environment conducive for love and understanding.

Forgiveness is the act of letting go of anger and resentment. It is not always easy to forgive, but it is essential for living a peaceful and joyful life. When we forgive others, we are freeing ourselves from the burden of negative emotions. This can help us to move on and live our lives to the fullest.

I take this day to renew my commitment to inner peace and to the expression of that peace into the world around me. It is not an easy task, but it is one ever worthy of striving to complete with perfection and dedication. I am grateful this morning for the discipline to seek expression for my most noble thoughts through my writing. May the thoughts grow ever stronger and flow more forcefully into actions and behaviour to shape my character.

I believe that love, compassion, and forgiveness are the keys to a happy and fulfilling life. I encourage you to cultivate these qualities in your own life and to share them with others. Together, we can create a world that is more loving, compassionate, and forgiving.

© Jurgens Pieterse, 2023, All rights reserved.

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Is love the willingness to hurt?

I have been pondering this question for some time now. I continue only proffer some thoughts. Love cannot be defined as the willingness to hurt. Because love is so much more. We can say that love accepts the possibility of hurt or that we will be vulnerable to hurt. But love does not will hurt in any form or shape, neither for self nor for another. It accepts the risk but it does not make hurt its purpose.

Love will work through hurt, it will work towards healing of the hurt. Love never stands on its own as something done towards another only but always brings the lover and beloved in unity. If there is hurt of self as a consequence of love, the love will love self and bring healing. I cannot see that love is ever willing to hurt another as an act of love… It might be to hurt somebody that is a threat to the one loved. The latter is a challenging moral space that needs deep understanding rather than broad strokes of opinion.

But for me the important principle is that love wills to heal not to hurt. The willingness to hurt is to bring healing. When we love somebody and that person rejects our love or dies and is unable to return love then love brings healing to the self so that we can love without hurt. If we love and the one we love suffer for any reason then our love is willing to accept hurt in empathy with the beloved. But even then it will to bring healing to the situation irrespective of how desperate the situation. Again love might accept hurt temporarily but it will is towards healing harmony and restoration.

If recovery on the physical plane is impossible then love extends itself beyond time and space limitations… Love might seek to comfort the beloved and reduce the hurt in the physical and strengthen the mental to best cope with hurt…. But live is never satisfied with hurt and never the friend of hurt.

When looking from a spiritual perspective love extends itself to bring healing through the deeper forces of karma that operates beyond the boundaries of physical existence.