True Love

I've always wondered what true love is. 

It just never made sense to me. 

Love has always seemed to me to be an unnecessary dependency to someone else. And, since I am and have always been an independent kind of person (I blame America), I've never really understood why a person would want to give up a part of him or herself in order to win what seems to be something very unsure. 

Frankly, I always thought that completely giving in to love is stupid.

The only times I have really been able to understand the meaning of love is through God and through my family. I witness what He has done for me through the beauty of nature; I feel His love during Mass and when I am talking about Him with friends; and I can see His undying love for me through the sacrifice of His son. True love has always been a holy thing to me. 

I firmly believe that I have the best family in the universe. I have never doubted their love for me nor my love for them. It's always been a given. Something that I didn't have to worry about or even think about. (Yes, I realize how flippin' lucky I am. I truly do.) 

Even though I've always known love through God and my family, I've never been able to understand how two normal human beings can truly love each other. 

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago at Mass that it hit me.

Instead of just normal Mass, The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was thrown in as well (BONUSSSS!). 

Back in the day, Anointing of the Sick was called the Last Rite. Basically, if you were allllmost dead, one of your family members would call the priest and he would come over to bless you with holy oil and give you eucharist. 

Nowadays, it's looked at as more of (this is my opinion, btdubs) a blessing for those who are unwell, that the Lord will protect them and be with them during the trying time they are going through. 

That Sunday, I had happened to stay up very late the night before (watching Kdramas...I'm addicted.), so I was tired in church. When Father asked for the people who wanted to receive the sacrament to stay standing, I didn't really pay attention, but I sat down 'cause I've been feeling just fine as of late. When I looked up, I realized how many people were still standing. 

I was shocked. 

The average age of a Sacred Heart (that's the church I go to) parishioner is...I would say... 65-75. (There are a LOT of old people) But I never thought that these people would be in pain.

Seeing so many people walk up to receive the sacrament brought tears to my eyes. How could I be blind to the people who were hurting around me. 

That's when I saw what I believe to be true love. 

There's this old couple in church who always come in and sit in the same general vicinity of my family. I know who they are, but I've never talked to them. The wife has had difficulty walking for some time now, so her husband always helps her to their pew and to communion. 

As he gingerly guided her up to receive the sacrament and then watched carefully to make sure that the priest properly blessed her, it hit me. 

True love is forgetting your selfish independence and caring for another person's well-being. 

True love is sacrificing for your loved one and trusting that they will sacrifice for you. 

It's embarrassing that I am 23 years old, and it took me this long to figure this out. 

I'm also jealous of the people my age who figure this out waaaay before me. 

Those lucky ducks.

I guess I have some catching up to do :)