The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. Elie Wiesel
Like every teacher, I always encouraged my students to know the credentials of their sources. Many folks talk in captivating sound bites, but offer little substance. Then, there are those who speak wisely from deep within their experience.
Elie Wiesel, who died last year at age 88, knew what he was talking about. As a boy, he survived both Auschwitz and Buchenwald, two infamous Nazi Holocaust camps. His parents did not. After WWII, he studied to be a journalist, but was persuaded to write about his experiences. His first book, the world acclaimed Night, has been translated into more than 30 languages. A thin memoir, it speaks volumes. He has written more than 60 books, fiction and nonfiction.
Immigrating to the United States in 1956, he remained an activist reminding everyone he met not only about the horrors of the Holocaust, but also about the destructiveness of indifference. However, he always considered himself a teacher and he served as the Andrew W. Mellon professor in the Humanities at Boston University. For his literary and human rights activities, he received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, the Nobel Prize for Peace.
So what does this global citizen have to say about our popular celebration of Valentine’s Day? Reread the first line, “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” Valentine’s Day brings flowers, cards, candy, gifts of all kinds. All of us appreciate being remembered in such thoughtful ways. But, this day of love is like Christmas in that the spirit of the observance should be honored year round, not just once a year. Do we show love to our loved ones beyond February 14 or do we tend to take them for granted? Indifference - it’s such an insidious attitude, eating away from the inside out.
Pope Francis has made 2017 the year he will continue to address society’s indifference to the homeless. We just want the homeless to go away. Even if we pretend that if we don’t see them, they do not disappear. In Italy, the Vatican has been distributing sleeping bags to the homeless. Also, Vatican vehicles have been left unlocked so that the homeless might seek shelter in them. These acts acknowledge the problem. It’s up to the all of us to seek the complicated solutions to address societal issues of today. Indifference never solves problems.
Yet, Valentine’s Day brings us closer to home, always a good starting point; and it should remind us to treat those we love with kindness, consideration, friendship every day. Genevieve Shaw Brown, author of The Happiest Mom You Know, states that our first New Year’s Resolution should be, “Treat your spouse as well as you treat your barista.” Such consideration is far more than being merely polite; it’s actually being aware of another’s presence.
Like many Christians, talk of love always leads me to I Corinthians 13 - the Biblical statement about love. Usually, I choose the King James Version because I like its poetry. But in recent years, I find myself turning more often to The Message translation. On television 22 years ago, I first heard these words read by Police Chaplain Phyllis Poe speaking at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial. In verses 4-7, scripture reminds us that…
“…Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trust God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end…”
Make a difference this Valentine’s Day.
2017
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