“Only Love Can Do That.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
I don’t recall the first time I ever heard that specific MLK quote, although it is featured in one of my child’s favorite books, Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Doreen Rappaport. What I do know is that I learned both about the struggle of oppressed peoples and their strength to move towards freedom at a young age - and it stuck with me.
After studying and witnessing the hate that was thrust upon not only African-Americans, but women, older people, children, and many others I wondered just how Love could be so powerful. Didn’t these people have love, too? Where did it get them?
Or maybe a better question was - where did it get me?
That question led me on quite a journey to really discover the meaning behind this quote that is so well known and so very true. Admittedly, much of the journey I had no idea what I had set out to do, yet now that I have experienced the truth of MLK’s words, I can feel it in great detail.
I always did send love to the outside. Until I was immersed in the larger culture, which focuses very little on actual emotions that line up with pure love. And I had my own stuff such as abuse and self-hatred to walk through. As I walked along I found loathing in all forms from everyday things like spilling something on the floor all the way on up to big things like war and economic depression.
I started to dissect what exactly hate means - how does it manifest? Does it ever drive itself out or was MLK right in his quote, “Hate cannot drive out Hate, Only Love can do That?”
Hate comes in all forms: judgment, criticism, ridicule, victim mentality, condemnation, dislike, aloof nature, separation and disparity between people in any way, violence, angst, blame, depression, and negative thoughts.
Love also comes in all forms: appreciation, kindness, generosity, compassion, understanding, gratitude, forgiveness, honor, respect, acceptance, peace, and positive, uplifting thoughts.
Even though I wasn’t conscious of it, I decided to give it all a good try. Got mad, tried to get even. Felt sad, thought I wasn’t so good. Something bad happened, found some way to blame someone. I certainly found that the low emotions associated with hate did nothing to drive it out, but consistently compounded it.
After many years of trying this and that to really apply the spiritual principles in the words of MLK and others, I actually tried the power of love in my thoughts. The result: amazing! I felt a shift in my body within the first few pages of reading the book The Astonishing Power of Emotions: Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide
by Esther & Jerry Hicks. I continued to read and as I brought the way I was thinking to a more loving place, I felt better, my children felt better, and I even started to get along with my former husband!
The energy of love soothes the energy of hate. When hate and hate come together there is great friction and bucking. When love enters the scene, it allows the hate to dissipate, although there are times it increases because the person with the hate is afraid to let it go (they might have identified with it all of their life). Either way, love really does drive out hate - within and without.
Give it a try and sign up for our Stop. Think of Love. Weekly Scenario in the upper left corner or on the Resources page :o).
