Some people would also agree that charity is the highest form of love so when you have charity, do you have the greatness love and happiness?
I think that an LDS scripture 1 might capture the interest of those who think that charity might indeed be one of the greatest forms of love and happiness:
“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
Finding Love and Happiness Through Charity?: The Challenge of a Lifetime
When you read the scripture mentioned above, you certainly don't have to be a Christian to become somewhat befuddled by this conglomeration of words: Who can bear all things? Who can believe all things? Who can “hope” all things? Who can endure all things? If charity is indeed one of the greatest forms of love and this LDS scripture is a valid representation of charity, what could be a more difficult attribute to acquire than that of charity?
Can you find love and happiness when you suffer long?
If there is one thing that we can be sure of in this world, it is that we will all suffer. Whether physically or emotionally everyone will taste the sourness of life. It is also sure that suffering will end at some time or another. The one thing we can control when it comes to suffering is how we react to it with the power we have to react. According to the scripture mentioned above, charity “suffer[s] long” so is the most love-filled reactions to suffer long? I also find it interesting that the particular phrase “suffereth long,” is followed by, “and is kind.” Is that the secret then to true love and happiness? Suffering long and still managing to be kind?
My roommate Jen (name changed for obvious reasons) is an example to me of this particular love and happiness. She has is sensitive by nature and extremely kind and conscientious so imagine my surprise on finding that at a young age she has already been torn by the disillusion of disappointment and divorce. In fact, I could hardly believe that it was so. She still suffers from her memories (perhaps every day) but for some reason that perhaps only she understands, Jen is kind and sensitive to others' needs. Jen, coincidentally also seems to be one of the happiest (or at least one of the most content) people that I know. Where is the university for that kind of suffering-long and being kind? Where is the university for that kind of love and happiness?
Can you find love and happiness when you cease to envy?
In a world where everyone stands on the pedestals of inequality, it's hard to imagine NOT looking around and wishing that our pedastal was a bit higher, a bit wider, perhaps even a bit lower. It's easy to understand that the actual thought and emotion of envy is not productive. After all, being envious never shapes your pedestal as it needs to be shaped but it's hard not to want what others have. However, apparently the scripture once again proves to be one of the most complicated of challenges because if we are to gain the best kind of love and happiness apparently the choice to give up envy is required.
Goodness. Achieving love and happiness is not an easy task.
There are many other difficult aspects of the concept of charity as defined by the scripture mentioned above and perhaps they would bring about a greater amount of love and happiness.
These types of skills seem a bit mysterious however. After all, I certainly didn't learn them in conjunction with my geometry class. Or perhaps I did. Was it Virgil who said that “love conquers all things”?
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