Friday, January 25, 2008

Valentine and Antivalentine

Variations on a theme! Truly I wish you LOVE and not emptiness! The second one is for Dabbler's contest. LOL! See the anole on autumn leaves painting I made that gave me the idea for these.

15 comments:

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

Sometimes I wonder if love is simply the absence of hate, and vicey-versey.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

And either one is an empty glass until you fill it up with someone or someTHING.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I find both love and hate to be active emotions, not absences. Absences, I've experienced those two, are sort of blah. Hatred is a fiery presence that tears at you. Love is a sweetness that fills you.

Love can also be an active choice. But that's a different kind of love.

I'd like to hope that hatred is never a choice.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

Hatred is sometimes NOT a choice. Sometimes it is poured into you by circumstances, influences, hand-me-down tradition, or violence against you or the things you love.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I'd like to think that it is NEVER a conscious choice.

Why would anyone CHOOSE to hate?

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

I think sometimes they feel there is no good alternative left open to them. I'm far from APPROVING of making that choice...we must try very hard NOT to make that choice....and we must find ways to discourage ANYONE from making that choice. BUT..in order to get through to people, convince them that their hate is wrong and self-destructive, we must try to find out WHY they are hateful and correct that.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

Ecclesiastes 3:8 NAS
A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.....We are human, in other words, and are always torn between alternatives. Personally I happen to believe that love has strength and resilience, while hate is shallow and brittle. Love is the stone that shatters the sword.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Hatred can sink a very deep taproot. It's not always shallow! It would be certainly wonderful if we could root it out. But after all these years, we've failed at doing so. I like that verse. There is definitely hatred int he old testament--less of it in the new.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

The new expresses the classic struggle in a new way: vengeance is no longer an acceptable choice, not if you want to be close to your God. Vengeance is reserved to HIM, not you. Love, on the other hand, is the highest principle of man.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

The highest principle of God, too.

At least, MY GOD! (LOL!)

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

Sure. God has always been a just and loving individual. But he kicked out A & E because why? because they were disobedient. You have to toe the line.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Since then, they invented forgiveness. Mortals can't seem to be able to tow the line.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

I just hope I"m forgiven when the time comes.

Michael Serafin-St. John said...

Click on Comics and read Dilbert. He's the most consistently good comic out there right now. Just FYI, IMO.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I've never really liked Dilbert that much--it's OK. But not great--in my mind.

I think it's a matter of taste and opinion, not a matter of fact.

I've already been forgiven. It's a good feeling, especially since I keep screwing up.