Ken Poirot's Blog - Posts Tagged "love"
The Meaning of Love...Upcoming Interview Excerpt...
Upcoming interview for Mentor Me by Ken Poirot
Excerpt - timely - about the meaning of love:
What book(s) have most influenced you?
"I have a special affinity for 'Le Petit Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I first read it in French class and I was amazed by the timelessness of this 'children’s story,' as well as its meaning for life and adults.
There is one part in particular with respect to love and relationships that has always stayed with me. In summary, it is the section where the little prince finds a garden filled with roses similar in appearance to his rose. At this moment he realizes, even though his rose is not the only rose in the universe, she is unique to him because he has cared for her and he loves her. He tells his rose he has tamed her and cared for her, and because of this, now in his eyes she is the only, unique rose in existence.
Isn’t that the most perfect and romantic description of true, unconditional love?
I have carried that with me throughout my life, as far as what love means, and also the responsibility you carry for someone else’s heart when you have both 'tamed' each other. I also read this section (in French and translated it for our guests) at my rehearsal dinner the night before my wedding.
Later in life, I learned Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote 'Le Petit Prince' while on vacation in my hometown community, and literally at the house next door to my first serious girlfriend’s home (where I spent a couple years of my life through the time I spent there with her). So I have a very special connection and affinity for this book; it has greatly influenced me."
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
Excerpt - timely - about the meaning of love:
What book(s) have most influenced you?
"I have a special affinity for 'Le Petit Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I first read it in French class and I was amazed by the timelessness of this 'children’s story,' as well as its meaning for life and adults.
There is one part in particular with respect to love and relationships that has always stayed with me. In summary, it is the section where the little prince finds a garden filled with roses similar in appearance to his rose. At this moment he realizes, even though his rose is not the only rose in the universe, she is unique to him because he has cared for her and he loves her. He tells his rose he has tamed her and cared for her, and because of this, now in his eyes she is the only, unique rose in existence.
Isn’t that the most perfect and romantic description of true, unconditional love?
I have carried that with me throughout my life, as far as what love means, and also the responsibility you carry for someone else’s heart when you have both 'tamed' each other. I also read this section (in French and translated it for our guests) at my rehearsal dinner the night before my wedding.
Later in life, I learned Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote 'Le Petit Prince' while on vacation in my hometown community, and literally at the house next door to my first serious girlfriend’s home (where I spent a couple years of my life through the time I spent there with her). So I have a very special connection and affinity for this book; it has greatly influenced me."
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
That Disappointing Moment...
I was up late tonight thinking about life and specifically about love...
Anyone who has had the courage to give of yourself completely and unconditionally to someone else knows exactly what I meant when I wrote this tonight:
“Love is to give, commit, and trust completely; the courage to be vulnerable without the omniscience of another's virtue.”
That disappointing moment when you realize the person you love or loved was never truly worthy of your love (and may never understand the true meaning of love).
...to give and not to take, use, or see what you can get from someone else.
To be selfless versus being completely selfish.
I turned it into a photo quote and posted it here on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Ken Poirot
...just some thoughts I had late tonight.
My wish and hope for all of you: may the one you love know, understand, and show you the true meaning of love.
Warmly,
Ken
Anyone who has had the courage to give of yourself completely and unconditionally to someone else knows exactly what I meant when I wrote this tonight:
“Love is to give, commit, and trust completely; the courage to be vulnerable without the omniscience of another's virtue.”
That disappointing moment when you realize the person you love or loved was never truly worthy of your love (and may never understand the true meaning of love).
...to give and not to take, use, or see what you can get from someone else.
To be selfless versus being completely selfish.
I turned it into a photo quote and posted it here on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Ken Poirot
...just some thoughts I had late tonight.
My wish and hope for all of you: may the one you love know, understand, and show you the true meaning of love.
Warmly,
Ken
More Pondering...Love...Easter...
"In truth we have loved; yet how many of our loves have been true?"
I wrote this last night as I pondered more about the true meaning of love...
...a bit of a play on words, but also with much greater meaning.
I purposely chose a depiction of Mary Magdalene for this photo quote as many of us celebrated Easter and Jesus' resurrection last Sunday, while our Orthodox friends will celebrate Easter this coming Sunday.
As Easter was in my thoughts, I pondered about this timely message...
I thought specifically about the relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus.
I believe this relationship teaches us of the everlasting, spiritual, and transcendental nature of true love.
The lesson: true unconditional love lives eternally, long after our terrestrial bodies have ceased to exist, it continues on in spirit, and transcends space and time.
After all, here we are thousands of years later still talking, thinking, reading, writing, and theorizing about their love.
Here is the quote along with the depiction of Mary Magdalene:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
So how many of your loves have been true?
I hope you all had a Happy Easter and Happy Easter to my Orthodox friends this coming Sunday!
Ken Poirot
Warmly,
Ken
I wrote this last night as I pondered more about the true meaning of love...
...a bit of a play on words, but also with much greater meaning.
I purposely chose a depiction of Mary Magdalene for this photo quote as many of us celebrated Easter and Jesus' resurrection last Sunday, while our Orthodox friends will celebrate Easter this coming Sunday.
As Easter was in my thoughts, I pondered about this timely message...
I thought specifically about the relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus.
I believe this relationship teaches us of the everlasting, spiritual, and transcendental nature of true love.
The lesson: true unconditional love lives eternally, long after our terrestrial bodies have ceased to exist, it continues on in spirit, and transcends space and time.
After all, here we are thousands of years later still talking, thinking, reading, writing, and theorizing about their love.
Here is the quote along with the depiction of Mary Magdalene:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
So how many of your loves have been true?
I hope you all had a Happy Easter and Happy Easter to my Orthodox friends this coming Sunday!
Ken Poirot
Warmly,
Ken
Relationships, Happiness, and True Love: Take Out the Garbage...
No One is Free From Hurt or Pain
As I think about many of my past conversations with others in life, there is one universal commonality everyone shares...
Each one of us has hurt and pain in our lives...every one of us. No one is immune or free from hurt or pain from time to time.
Throughout life, painful events happen and hurtful situations transpire. Friendships are formed; some of these friendships are enduring and stalwart, while others are fleeting and filled with drama.
Lovers and partners come into and out of our lives...some wound us deeply in ways we may not fully understand at the time; sometimes people betray us or hurt us.
Closure in relationships is rare; often we find ourselves wondering what went wrong, what we could have done differently, or why our relationships ended so tragically.
This lack of closure can cause us to ponder away for lengths of time, without any objective, concrete answers or tidy conclusion.
Hurt and Pain Comes with Living
As I often say, "There is a cost of doing business in life," meaning when we trust someone...when we open up and get close, sometimes we get hurt.
Yet, to never open up or take the risk in a relationship means to never have the closeness we crave, or the love we desire (and deserve) in our lives.
I know so many people who jump from relationship to relationship to relationship, just because they feel the need to always have someone in their lives.
Yes, having someone can make us feel better short-term, but it is only a temporary solution. It is a way to briefly avoid the real problem...our own feelings of unhappiness, loneliness, hurt, pain, and/or insecurity.
For no one can give us happiness and joy (not true long-term happiness and joy), they can only supply a "quick fix" euphoria from the novelty of something new, and our sense of feeling loved and wanted again.
Impossible Expectations Lead to Relationship Sabotage
We cannot expect someone else to fill us up inside or make us whole. This is a terrible and impossible responsibility with which to appoint another person (a task they cannot possibly accomplish because only we can make ourselves whole).
Having this expectation, (and carrying it into any relationship) will only ensure the relationship will not work out, or live up to these impossible expectations we place on the relationship and the other person.
We are setting the relationship, and the poor soul we are involved with (and ourselves), up for disappointment.
These expectations result in a weak relationship that folds at the first sign of trouble, or "red flag," we feel inside.
Our first reaction to this feeling is to shut down, close up, distance ourselves, or walk away for fear of getting hurt again.
Ignored Past Hurt and Pain Destroys New Relationships
Ultimately the past pain and hurt creeps in again, typically in the form of putting up barriers to true closeness in our relationship.
Predictably, this behavior causes problems and destroys our current relationship. Typically (without even realizing it), we allow the past hurt and pain from which we originally tried to flee to victimize our new relationship.
These are all destructive behaviors in any relationship. We end up sabotaging our new relationship all because we are too afraid to get hurt again (which ironically, causes us to get hurt again by keeping us from having a close, open, and fulfilling relationship in the first place).
This in turn causes even more hurt and pain, which is then added to our ever-expanding, existing pile of emotional baggage, which we carry into our next relationship.
It's a vicious cycle we repeat over and over and over again. So what is the solution to this vicious cycle?
Grieve and Then Find Happiness Within You
The best solution is to take a break; to allocate the time to work on ourselves.
Instead of jumping into the next relationship in order to run from the pain we feel inside (which we cannot truly escape anyway), a healthier long-term solution is to grieve (confront the pain of past events and relationships).
Only by acknowledging this hurt and pain, allowing ourselves to experience it, taking the necessary time to work through it (heal), can we truly become ready for future strong, healthy, and fulfilling relationships.
The fact is, true long-term happiness and true joy comes from within us...not from outside of us.
It is up to us to find this happiness and joy within ourselves. No one can supply us with happiness and joy permanently from outside of us; no one can make us whole.
We can't place such unreasonable expectations on others to complete us for only we can complete ourselves.
So I will ask you, what makes you happy?
Maybe it is spending time with family and friends, being more involved in your community, an organization, or church. Or maybe it is a hobby, an activity, a setting like the beach or mountains, music, sports, going to the gym, writing, etc...
Regardless of what makes you happy and gives you joy, we all need to take the time to build ourselves up again...make ourselves whole again after the trauma of hurt and pain enters our lives.
Take out the Garbage
I liken it to taking out the garbage; if we travel from one relationship to another to another, without first taking the time to make ourselves whole inside, finding the true long-term happiness and joy within us, then we are just adding to the piles and piles of garbage (emotional baggage) in our lives.
Harboring this ever-increasing mound of garbage burdens us, creates emotional exhaustion, and causes fear (the fear of getting hurt).
If we let it continue to expand, it takes up residence as a landfill burying our hearts and souls, preventing us from having the love and closeness we want (and all deserve) in life.
While working through this past hurt and pain (taking out the garbage), spend time doing the things you enjoy the most.
Take out the garbage...true happiness comes from within not from without!
Completely and solely within you is the capacity for true happiness...it is already within you!
Once you feel the true happiness and joy inside you...then you can give all of yourself to someone else.
Then you will be ready and able to experience and realize a strong, healthy, fulfilling relationship; the true love you deserve!
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Ken Poirot
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
As I think about many of my past conversations with others in life, there is one universal commonality everyone shares...
Each one of us has hurt and pain in our lives...every one of us. No one is immune or free from hurt or pain from time to time.
Throughout life, painful events happen and hurtful situations transpire. Friendships are formed; some of these friendships are enduring and stalwart, while others are fleeting and filled with drama.
Lovers and partners come into and out of our lives...some wound us deeply in ways we may not fully understand at the time; sometimes people betray us or hurt us.
Closure in relationships is rare; often we find ourselves wondering what went wrong, what we could have done differently, or why our relationships ended so tragically.
This lack of closure can cause us to ponder away for lengths of time, without any objective, concrete answers or tidy conclusion.
Hurt and Pain Comes with Living
As I often say, "There is a cost of doing business in life," meaning when we trust someone...when we open up and get close, sometimes we get hurt.
Yet, to never open up or take the risk in a relationship means to never have the closeness we crave, or the love we desire (and deserve) in our lives.
I know so many people who jump from relationship to relationship to relationship, just because they feel the need to always have someone in their lives.
Yes, having someone can make us feel better short-term, but it is only a temporary solution. It is a way to briefly avoid the real problem...our own feelings of unhappiness, loneliness, hurt, pain, and/or insecurity.
For no one can give us happiness and joy (not true long-term happiness and joy), they can only supply a "quick fix" euphoria from the novelty of something new, and our sense of feeling loved and wanted again.
Impossible Expectations Lead to Relationship Sabotage
We cannot expect someone else to fill us up inside or make us whole. This is a terrible and impossible responsibility with which to appoint another person (a task they cannot possibly accomplish because only we can make ourselves whole).
Having this expectation, (and carrying it into any relationship) will only ensure the relationship will not work out, or live up to these impossible expectations we place on the relationship and the other person.
We are setting the relationship, and the poor soul we are involved with (and ourselves), up for disappointment.
These expectations result in a weak relationship that folds at the first sign of trouble, or "red flag," we feel inside.
Our first reaction to this feeling is to shut down, close up, distance ourselves, or walk away for fear of getting hurt again.
Ignored Past Hurt and Pain Destroys New Relationships
Ultimately the past pain and hurt creeps in again, typically in the form of putting up barriers to true closeness in our relationship.
Predictably, this behavior causes problems and destroys our current relationship. Typically (without even realizing it), we allow the past hurt and pain from which we originally tried to flee to victimize our new relationship.
These are all destructive behaviors in any relationship. We end up sabotaging our new relationship all because we are too afraid to get hurt again (which ironically, causes us to get hurt again by keeping us from having a close, open, and fulfilling relationship in the first place).
This in turn causes even more hurt and pain, which is then added to our ever-expanding, existing pile of emotional baggage, which we carry into our next relationship.
It's a vicious cycle we repeat over and over and over again. So what is the solution to this vicious cycle?
Grieve and Then Find Happiness Within You
The best solution is to take a break; to allocate the time to work on ourselves.
Instead of jumping into the next relationship in order to run from the pain we feel inside (which we cannot truly escape anyway), a healthier long-term solution is to grieve (confront the pain of past events and relationships).
Only by acknowledging this hurt and pain, allowing ourselves to experience it, taking the necessary time to work through it (heal), can we truly become ready for future strong, healthy, and fulfilling relationships.
The fact is, true long-term happiness and true joy comes from within us...not from outside of us.
It is up to us to find this happiness and joy within ourselves. No one can supply us with happiness and joy permanently from outside of us; no one can make us whole.
We can't place such unreasonable expectations on others to complete us for only we can complete ourselves.
So I will ask you, what makes you happy?
Maybe it is spending time with family and friends, being more involved in your community, an organization, or church. Or maybe it is a hobby, an activity, a setting like the beach or mountains, music, sports, going to the gym, writing, etc...
Regardless of what makes you happy and gives you joy, we all need to take the time to build ourselves up again...make ourselves whole again after the trauma of hurt and pain enters our lives.
Take out the Garbage
I liken it to taking out the garbage; if we travel from one relationship to another to another, without first taking the time to make ourselves whole inside, finding the true long-term happiness and joy within us, then we are just adding to the piles and piles of garbage (emotional baggage) in our lives.
Harboring this ever-increasing mound of garbage burdens us, creates emotional exhaustion, and causes fear (the fear of getting hurt).
If we let it continue to expand, it takes up residence as a landfill burying our hearts and souls, preventing us from having the love and closeness we want (and all deserve) in life.
While working through this past hurt and pain (taking out the garbage), spend time doing the things you enjoy the most.
Take out the garbage...true happiness comes from within not from without!
Completely and solely within you is the capacity for true happiness...it is already within you!
Once you feel the true happiness and joy inside you...then you can give all of yourself to someone else.
Then you will be ready and able to experience and realize a strong, healthy, fulfilling relationship; the true love you deserve!
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Ken Poirot
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
With Great Love Comes Great Forgiveness...
Dating in a Fast-Paced Society
In our fast-paced society filled with professionals spending endless hours dedicated to their careers, online dating has become a fixture.
Albeit a convenient necessity to help expand social circles, as well as an opportunity to meet someone new while permitting complete flexibility to work the relationship into our busy lifestyles.
You can't spend almost 5 hours a day with someone for three months, even online, without getting to know quite a bit about the person.
So was the case with Tania.
In appearance on video chat she was a mousy girl, and I mean that affectionately.
A bit shy at times, with big brown, beautiful sparkling eyes filled with life, enthusiasm, and the inquisitive brilliance of playful curiosity.
Her eyes were her most striking feature, as I am always most attracted to a girls' eyes at first.
Hers smiled radiantly through the endless miles that separated us; her eyes brought us closely connected together, an unbreakable bond.
Then there was her hair; long dark, shimmering, luscious, silky locks which danced with her endless expressions and effervescent smile. Sometimes her hair was up, sometimes down, or drawn to one side gently caressing her soft, smooth, delicate neck.
Frequently at night she wore glasses, which just added to the studious, intelligent, cute, mousy-girl-look which I found so attractive.
We would share everything together over those months: our hopes, dreams, and ambitions in life; even our thoughts on family and raising children together.
During that whole time, very few days passed without long conversations. Maybe twice a full twenty-four hours passed when we both knew we would have to wait for our next rendezvous, due to commitments with family or friends.
She dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and showed me some of her work; a painting and drawing from her studies.
A skirt she designed; a long, full-length skirt with sheer blue fabric. The skirt was draped and sewn perfectly to appear and allow for flowing movement; it looked beautiful and very impressive. Not that I know much about fashion design myself, none more than I have seen on "Project Runway," but still, it made an impression as it was quite stunning.
We can all appreciate it when someone has passion for their work or a special project with which they are involved. Just as we can all recognize talent. This girl had both; passion for all that she did, especially design, and a depth of talent.
Then there were the other cute things she made. Drapes for her windows, a design she sewed on her sofa cushion at home, and various decorations, like Christmas ornaments; the kind of attention to detail and passion which makes a house a home.
It made me feel, and I imagined myself, as a proud husband with a wife who took great joy in making a warm, cozy place for all to spend their time as a family.
She also starred in a couple music videos. She never mentioned them, but I stumbled over them online. When I asked about them her response was quiet humility.
It is a rare beauty who can be both cute and sexy: a truly scarce combination. Most women can only be one or the other; she was both...cute and sexy at the same time.
The Perfect First Date
It was my 5th time to visit the Ukraine. Tania and I had really connected online, but you never know if that connection will carry over to an in person, face-to-face meeting or not.
Anyone who has spent any time in the online dating world knows, sometimes you hit it off with someone online, yet when you meet, the same chemistry is just not there. For this reason, there was a lot of anxiety leading up to my meeting with Tania in Odessa, Ukraine.
I so desperately wanted to know what it would be like together in person, and I had butterflies in my stomach over the anticipation.
Could this really be the one? Would our inseparable connection online be as strong in person, or would we feel that awkward silence of no connection at all?
I contacted a friend in Odessa before my visit, an old girlfriend from a previous trip with whom a romantic relationship had not progressed into a serious future.
I wanted my first date and meeting with Tania to be perfect, so I asked my friend, Aliona, to help me prepare a special, favorable first impression for Tania.
As I do not speak the language in Odessa, predominately Russian, I would need help finding and buying items for my first date with Tania. I wanted to have flowers for her and her translator, champagne, and I asked Aliona for suggestions to make everything as romantic as possible, from a Ukrainian girls' point of view.
Tania's Arrival and Our First Date
Aliona and I scrambled to have all ready for Tania by the time she arrived. Tania was scheduled to arrive a couple hours after noon and when Aliona and I called her, we found Tania was arriving early.
We had bought apples, mangoes, flowers, and champagne for Tania and her translator.
As Aliona was cutting the fruit, I dashed down the hall to the property manager's office; I needed vases for the two sets of flowers...red roses for Tania and yellow, friendship, roses for her translator.
Maria, the flat manager, emptied flowers out of one vase and graciously gave it to me, along with a second empty vase.
As I returned to the flat, Aliona had finished cutting up the apples and was skinning the mangoes. Aliona informed me (not that I would know), "If you leave the skin on, the mangoes are bitter, so it is best to take the skin off."
Our original intention was for Aliona to leave before Tania arrived, as you do not want your ex-girlfriend and new girlfriend to meet, since it could make all a little uncomfortable (and especially on our first date).
Tania arrived early. I walked outside, greeted her with a hug, and offered to help her (and her translator) with their luggage.
I pointed out my flat as we passed it on the way to theirs, which was further down the hall. I opened their door, gave them the key, and took Tania's suitcase inside. I told the translator once they are settled into their flat, to please come by my flat.
As Aliona finished the last plate of fruit, there was a knock on my door. Here was the uncomfortable moment I was hoping to avoid: ex-girlfriend meets new girlfriend. Just a couple more minutes and Aliona would have been gone.
The mishap and unintentional meeting only added to my already nervous anxiety. I opened the door and gestured to the red roses on the window sill, which I had placed in their vase just seconds before. Tania told her translator I should present them to her...my first mistake besides Aliona still being there.
Aliona is an intuitive girl and she knew it was time to leave. So as not to be rude to Aliona, who had helped me all morning, I politely excused myself and hurriedly escorted her out of the building.
We walked quickly across the courtyard and said goodbye. As I gave her a friendly hug she said, "Tania...she has foxy eyes. Be careful!"
I thanked Aliona for her help and we bid farewell.
Translation Disaster
Later that evening, Tania, her translator, Gala, and I went to a club. Our first date which started out with such anxiety and many timing mishaps on my part, was turning out quite beautifully.
Tania and I were sitting next to each other holding hands, while Gala was sitting across the table from us. It was cold in Odessa in February, near zero Celsius, so I had worn a sports jacket under my coat. We had checked our coats upon entry to the club, so I took off my sports jacket as it was a bit warm inside.
Tania was even more beautiful in person. Full of life and energy, those eyes dancing as her radiance filled the room. I will never forget her smile, the way her hair shined in the light with crowning perfection. I was smitten; filled with the heavenly sound and cadence of her voice, as I felt the magic, tingling energy of her touch.
I leaned over to our translator, Gala, and said, "We have a lot in common." Gala spoke to Tania in Russian and everything changed that instant.
Tania was obviously offended. She tossed away my hand and refused to look at me!
Just like that...in one instance all changed 180 degrees. I could not figure out what happened at first; I asked Gala what she had said to Tania to cause such a reaction.
I looked at Gala struck with bewildered disbelief. Gala looked at Tania again and they spoke. This time Tania's speech was fast, angry, defensive, and dismissive.
Gala looked over at me and said, "I am sorry, I mistranslated." She tried to explain the mistake to Tania, but she would not hear of it.
I leaned over and tried to hold Tania's hand, which was now far away in her stretched out arms on the table; she would not respond and she ignored me.
Gala gestured for us to go and we walked out of the club. I was so upset I completely forgot my sports jacket...which was never seen again.
We retrieved our coats from the entrance of the club; next was the most uncomfortable taxi ride I have ever experienced. Tania did not want to be there and especially not stuck in the back of the taxi with me.
Gala continued to plead with Tania, but she was not in the mood to listen. Gala apologized to me over and over again.
All I could figure is she might have translated my words as, "We do not have a lot in common" instead of "We have a lot in common." I was not even sure if that was the source of the confusion and miscommunication.
We all arrived back at my flat and the girls came inside; I sat on the bed while they sat on the couch across from me.
Tania would not listen to anything we said, instead, she turned to Gala and mentioned something about me, and then stormed out of the flat.
At this moment I was overcome by emotion. All the anticipation, the months leading up to this moment, scheduling our first meeting, the preparation, the nervous energy and hope...it all came crashing over me like a giant wave of pressure needing to be released.
My eyes welled up with tears which spilled out over their lids and rolled down my cheeks, then dripped off my chin. I looked over at Gala with mournful despondency and said, "I can't make her love me."
That was the end of our first evening together. So much for creating the perfect first date...
The Day After Disaster
I didn't sleep well that night. I woke up early, much earlier than normal, and really did not know what to do.
Some girls want you to come after them, to chase them, to try to make things right. Other girls want you to leave them alone, completely, and forever, while some want you to wait and let them come to you.
It is difficult enough to know what to do in the USA, let alone in a completely different culture, language, and country.
I waited for a while. I showered and cleaned up hoping to hear from Tania or Gala for some direction. Nothing...the morning continued with silence.
"Maybe the girls are not up yet," I thought. I had been hungry since I woke up, so I decided to get some breakfast, think about all that had transpired that evening, then decide what to do next.
On my way out of the flat I saw the three tickets I had procured for the ballet, one for each of us for that evening.
During our conversations, Tania had mentioned she had never been to the ballet, so I had purchased tickets for us. I thought, "Regardless of what happens, I still want to take her to the ballet, even if she does not want to date me anymore; I can still take her as friends."
A few hours after I arrived back from breakfast, Gala sheepishly tapped on my door. As I opened it she said, "I don't know what do do. Tania packed her bags and she wants to go back home to Kherson. Both of you were crying last night and I do not know what to do."
I explained how I would still like to take them both to the ballet that evening, no matter what. I told her to have Tania come over to my flat, by herself, so we can see if we can work all this out together in private.
I wanted to work it out. Gala had made a mistranslation the previous evening which began the whole misunderstanding in the first place, so I figured it was best if Tania and I spoke alone.
I had a pocket translator so we could type to each other, and there was always the computer I brought, as well as the computer belonging to the flat; we would be able to communicate.
Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on the door. Tania looked miserable, truly unhappy; the look of a girl who had been crying all night long. She walked across the room as I closed the door; she sat on window sill, which was directly opposite the door, as far away from me as possible.
I walked over and put my arms around her, warmly, gently, and kissed her as I held her in my arms.
She got up and moved over to the bed, walking with a defensive posture, arms crossed in front of her and eyes looking down to the floor, avoiding mine.
I moved over to the bed where she was sitting, her back against the wall at the head of the bed. I lay down next to her, with my arms gently around her legs and looked up. I took the electronic translator out of my pocket and glanced up once more.
I was wearing a baseball cap and she took it off, tossing it aside, so she could better see my eyes. She typed and passed the pocket translator to me so I could see what she wrote, "I sorry for my bad behavior."
I gazed at her with warmth, compassion, and love in my eyes, typed, then handed her back the translator so she could read my words, "With great love comes great forgiveness."
The Happiest Day of My Life
We went to the ballet that evening and had a great time. We met up with her friend Vlada, who lived in Odessa, and also had a wonderful late night at a club.
The next day we had sushi at the restaurant by our flat. This picture was taken there:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Per my suggestion, and since Tania had never been to the beach in Odessa, we took a taxi to the Arcadia area by the sea.
It was cold and windy by the water and Tania's gorgeous hair, always made agonizingly perfect was amusingly wind-blown as we shivered from the biting, damp, cold, salty air. She looked at me and ran her hands through her hair in surrender at her unusually disorderly appearance, as we laughed together.
We dodged into the nearest cafe for respite from the cold and hot tea to warm us up, while we looked out the window over at the Black Sea. As our eyes met, we both knew what we were feeling; the connection online was now just as strong in person.
We arrived back at our flat, packed the taxi, and left for Kherson together. We were in the back seat which was stuffed with a few of our things that did not fit in the trunk.
She looked over at me, smiled, and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly the whole way to Kherson, for almost three hours. As she glanced over at me from time-to-time, catching my eyes and smiling; I could see her heart, radiance, and soul through her eyes.
That taxi ride from Odessa to Kherson is the moment she fell in love with me.
We stopped once for gasoline (petrol) and she excused herself to the restroom. My hand had fallen asleep; I did not care for it was holding the hand of the one I loved.
As she exited the taxi, I moved my fingers to shake out that tell-tale pins-and-needles feeling. As she entered the taxi again, she immediately reached over, smiled, and grabbed my hand.
That was the best day of my life.
In that moment, I held in my hand everything I had longed for my entire life. That feeling, the kind of love that makes you question if you have ever truly felt love before.
No one mattered from before nor had anyone ever mattered in that instance, except for Tania.
In all the world there was only Tania and me; me and Tania. No one else in the entire universe existed...just me and Tania.
Always remember: with great love comes great forgiveness.
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
In our fast-paced society filled with professionals spending endless hours dedicated to their careers, online dating has become a fixture.
Albeit a convenient necessity to help expand social circles, as well as an opportunity to meet someone new while permitting complete flexibility to work the relationship into our busy lifestyles.
You can't spend almost 5 hours a day with someone for three months, even online, without getting to know quite a bit about the person.
So was the case with Tania.
In appearance on video chat she was a mousy girl, and I mean that affectionately.
A bit shy at times, with big brown, beautiful sparkling eyes filled with life, enthusiasm, and the inquisitive brilliance of playful curiosity.
Her eyes were her most striking feature, as I am always most attracted to a girls' eyes at first.
Hers smiled radiantly through the endless miles that separated us; her eyes brought us closely connected together, an unbreakable bond.
Then there was her hair; long dark, shimmering, luscious, silky locks which danced with her endless expressions and effervescent smile. Sometimes her hair was up, sometimes down, or drawn to one side gently caressing her soft, smooth, delicate neck.
Frequently at night she wore glasses, which just added to the studious, intelligent, cute, mousy-girl-look which I found so attractive.
We would share everything together over those months: our hopes, dreams, and ambitions in life; even our thoughts on family and raising children together.
During that whole time, very few days passed without long conversations. Maybe twice a full twenty-four hours passed when we both knew we would have to wait for our next rendezvous, due to commitments with family or friends.
She dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and showed me some of her work; a painting and drawing from her studies.
A skirt she designed; a long, full-length skirt with sheer blue fabric. The skirt was draped and sewn perfectly to appear and allow for flowing movement; it looked beautiful and very impressive. Not that I know much about fashion design myself, none more than I have seen on "Project Runway," but still, it made an impression as it was quite stunning.
We can all appreciate it when someone has passion for their work or a special project with which they are involved. Just as we can all recognize talent. This girl had both; passion for all that she did, especially design, and a depth of talent.
Then there were the other cute things she made. Drapes for her windows, a design she sewed on her sofa cushion at home, and various decorations, like Christmas ornaments; the kind of attention to detail and passion which makes a house a home.
It made me feel, and I imagined myself, as a proud husband with a wife who took great joy in making a warm, cozy place for all to spend their time as a family.
She also starred in a couple music videos. She never mentioned them, but I stumbled over them online. When I asked about them her response was quiet humility.
It is a rare beauty who can be both cute and sexy: a truly scarce combination. Most women can only be one or the other; she was both...cute and sexy at the same time.
The Perfect First Date
It was my 5th time to visit the Ukraine. Tania and I had really connected online, but you never know if that connection will carry over to an in person, face-to-face meeting or not.
Anyone who has spent any time in the online dating world knows, sometimes you hit it off with someone online, yet when you meet, the same chemistry is just not there. For this reason, there was a lot of anxiety leading up to my meeting with Tania in Odessa, Ukraine.
I so desperately wanted to know what it would be like together in person, and I had butterflies in my stomach over the anticipation.
Could this really be the one? Would our inseparable connection online be as strong in person, or would we feel that awkward silence of no connection at all?
I contacted a friend in Odessa before my visit, an old girlfriend from a previous trip with whom a romantic relationship had not progressed into a serious future.
I wanted my first date and meeting with Tania to be perfect, so I asked my friend, Aliona, to help me prepare a special, favorable first impression for Tania.
As I do not speak the language in Odessa, predominately Russian, I would need help finding and buying items for my first date with Tania. I wanted to have flowers for her and her translator, champagne, and I asked Aliona for suggestions to make everything as romantic as possible, from a Ukrainian girls' point of view.
Tania's Arrival and Our First Date
Aliona and I scrambled to have all ready for Tania by the time she arrived. Tania was scheduled to arrive a couple hours after noon and when Aliona and I called her, we found Tania was arriving early.
We had bought apples, mangoes, flowers, and champagne for Tania and her translator.
As Aliona was cutting the fruit, I dashed down the hall to the property manager's office; I needed vases for the two sets of flowers...red roses for Tania and yellow, friendship, roses for her translator.
Maria, the flat manager, emptied flowers out of one vase and graciously gave it to me, along with a second empty vase.
As I returned to the flat, Aliona had finished cutting up the apples and was skinning the mangoes. Aliona informed me (not that I would know), "If you leave the skin on, the mangoes are bitter, so it is best to take the skin off."
Our original intention was for Aliona to leave before Tania arrived, as you do not want your ex-girlfriend and new girlfriend to meet, since it could make all a little uncomfortable (and especially on our first date).
Tania arrived early. I walked outside, greeted her with a hug, and offered to help her (and her translator) with their luggage.
I pointed out my flat as we passed it on the way to theirs, which was further down the hall. I opened their door, gave them the key, and took Tania's suitcase inside. I told the translator once they are settled into their flat, to please come by my flat.
As Aliona finished the last plate of fruit, there was a knock on my door. Here was the uncomfortable moment I was hoping to avoid: ex-girlfriend meets new girlfriend. Just a couple more minutes and Aliona would have been gone.
The mishap and unintentional meeting only added to my already nervous anxiety. I opened the door and gestured to the red roses on the window sill, which I had placed in their vase just seconds before. Tania told her translator I should present them to her...my first mistake besides Aliona still being there.
Aliona is an intuitive girl and she knew it was time to leave. So as not to be rude to Aliona, who had helped me all morning, I politely excused myself and hurriedly escorted her out of the building.
We walked quickly across the courtyard and said goodbye. As I gave her a friendly hug she said, "Tania...she has foxy eyes. Be careful!"
I thanked Aliona for her help and we bid farewell.
Translation Disaster
Later that evening, Tania, her translator, Gala, and I went to a club. Our first date which started out with such anxiety and many timing mishaps on my part, was turning out quite beautifully.
Tania and I were sitting next to each other holding hands, while Gala was sitting across the table from us. It was cold in Odessa in February, near zero Celsius, so I had worn a sports jacket under my coat. We had checked our coats upon entry to the club, so I took off my sports jacket as it was a bit warm inside.
Tania was even more beautiful in person. Full of life and energy, those eyes dancing as her radiance filled the room. I will never forget her smile, the way her hair shined in the light with crowning perfection. I was smitten; filled with the heavenly sound and cadence of her voice, as I felt the magic, tingling energy of her touch.
I leaned over to our translator, Gala, and said, "We have a lot in common." Gala spoke to Tania in Russian and everything changed that instant.
Tania was obviously offended. She tossed away my hand and refused to look at me!
Just like that...in one instance all changed 180 degrees. I could not figure out what happened at first; I asked Gala what she had said to Tania to cause such a reaction.
I looked at Gala struck with bewildered disbelief. Gala looked at Tania again and they spoke. This time Tania's speech was fast, angry, defensive, and dismissive.
Gala looked over at me and said, "I am sorry, I mistranslated." She tried to explain the mistake to Tania, but she would not hear of it.
I leaned over and tried to hold Tania's hand, which was now far away in her stretched out arms on the table; she would not respond and she ignored me.
Gala gestured for us to go and we walked out of the club. I was so upset I completely forgot my sports jacket...which was never seen again.
We retrieved our coats from the entrance of the club; next was the most uncomfortable taxi ride I have ever experienced. Tania did not want to be there and especially not stuck in the back of the taxi with me.
Gala continued to plead with Tania, but she was not in the mood to listen. Gala apologized to me over and over again.
All I could figure is she might have translated my words as, "We do not have a lot in common" instead of "We have a lot in common." I was not even sure if that was the source of the confusion and miscommunication.
We all arrived back at my flat and the girls came inside; I sat on the bed while they sat on the couch across from me.
Tania would not listen to anything we said, instead, she turned to Gala and mentioned something about me, and then stormed out of the flat.
At this moment I was overcome by emotion. All the anticipation, the months leading up to this moment, scheduling our first meeting, the preparation, the nervous energy and hope...it all came crashing over me like a giant wave of pressure needing to be released.
My eyes welled up with tears which spilled out over their lids and rolled down my cheeks, then dripped off my chin. I looked over at Gala with mournful despondency and said, "I can't make her love me."
That was the end of our first evening together. So much for creating the perfect first date...
The Day After Disaster
I didn't sleep well that night. I woke up early, much earlier than normal, and really did not know what to do.
Some girls want you to come after them, to chase them, to try to make things right. Other girls want you to leave them alone, completely, and forever, while some want you to wait and let them come to you.
It is difficult enough to know what to do in the USA, let alone in a completely different culture, language, and country.
I waited for a while. I showered and cleaned up hoping to hear from Tania or Gala for some direction. Nothing...the morning continued with silence.
"Maybe the girls are not up yet," I thought. I had been hungry since I woke up, so I decided to get some breakfast, think about all that had transpired that evening, then decide what to do next.
On my way out of the flat I saw the three tickets I had procured for the ballet, one for each of us for that evening.
During our conversations, Tania had mentioned she had never been to the ballet, so I had purchased tickets for us. I thought, "Regardless of what happens, I still want to take her to the ballet, even if she does not want to date me anymore; I can still take her as friends."
A few hours after I arrived back from breakfast, Gala sheepishly tapped on my door. As I opened it she said, "I don't know what do do. Tania packed her bags and she wants to go back home to Kherson. Both of you were crying last night and I do not know what to do."
I explained how I would still like to take them both to the ballet that evening, no matter what. I told her to have Tania come over to my flat, by herself, so we can see if we can work all this out together in private.
I wanted to work it out. Gala had made a mistranslation the previous evening which began the whole misunderstanding in the first place, so I figured it was best if Tania and I spoke alone.
I had a pocket translator so we could type to each other, and there was always the computer I brought, as well as the computer belonging to the flat; we would be able to communicate.
Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on the door. Tania looked miserable, truly unhappy; the look of a girl who had been crying all night long. She walked across the room as I closed the door; she sat on window sill, which was directly opposite the door, as far away from me as possible.
I walked over and put my arms around her, warmly, gently, and kissed her as I held her in my arms.
She got up and moved over to the bed, walking with a defensive posture, arms crossed in front of her and eyes looking down to the floor, avoiding mine.
I moved over to the bed where she was sitting, her back against the wall at the head of the bed. I lay down next to her, with my arms gently around her legs and looked up. I took the electronic translator out of my pocket and glanced up once more.
I was wearing a baseball cap and she took it off, tossing it aside, so she could better see my eyes. She typed and passed the pocket translator to me so I could see what she wrote, "I sorry for my bad behavior."
I gazed at her with warmth, compassion, and love in my eyes, typed, then handed her back the translator so she could read my words, "With great love comes great forgiveness."
The Happiest Day of My Life
We went to the ballet that evening and had a great time. We met up with her friend Vlada, who lived in Odessa, and also had a wonderful late night at a club.
The next day we had sushi at the restaurant by our flat. This picture was taken there:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Per my suggestion, and since Tania had never been to the beach in Odessa, we took a taxi to the Arcadia area by the sea.
It was cold and windy by the water and Tania's gorgeous hair, always made agonizingly perfect was amusingly wind-blown as we shivered from the biting, damp, cold, salty air. She looked at me and ran her hands through her hair in surrender at her unusually disorderly appearance, as we laughed together.
We dodged into the nearest cafe for respite from the cold and hot tea to warm us up, while we looked out the window over at the Black Sea. As our eyes met, we both knew what we were feeling; the connection online was now just as strong in person.
We arrived back at our flat, packed the taxi, and left for Kherson together. We were in the back seat which was stuffed with a few of our things that did not fit in the trunk.
She looked over at me, smiled, and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly the whole way to Kherson, for almost three hours. As she glanced over at me from time-to-time, catching my eyes and smiling; I could see her heart, radiance, and soul through her eyes.
That taxi ride from Odessa to Kherson is the moment she fell in love with me.
We stopped once for gasoline (petrol) and she excused herself to the restroom. My hand had fallen asleep; I did not care for it was holding the hand of the one I loved.
As she exited the taxi, I moved my fingers to shake out that tell-tale pins-and-needles feeling. As she entered the taxi again, she immediately reached over, smiled, and grabbed my hand.
That was the best day of my life.
In that moment, I held in my hand everything I had longed for my entire life. That feeling, the kind of love that makes you question if you have ever truly felt love before.
No one mattered from before nor had anyone ever mattered in that instance, except for Tania.
In all the world there was only Tania and me; me and Tania. No one else in the entire universe existed...just me and Tania.
Always remember: with great love comes great forgiveness.
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
TOMAHAWK: An Original Screenplay...FREE READ
TOM A HAWK: An Original Screenplay
I just made this screenplay public as of today, so you can be one of the first to read it!
Back in August I wrote an original screenplay based upon my personal experiences and travels in the Ukraine.
It is a mix of fiction and non-fiction...the characters are real people.
The screenplay is a transformation story designed as a pilot movie for a series of movies or better adapted for a movie to begin a TV series.
Here is my favorite quote from the screenplay that is a great defining quote for the story, "Life is like that...Sometimes you have to peel off the bitterness in order to get to the part that is sweet."
Amazon's title page did not allow for spacing, but the title is really TOM A HAWK versus TOMAHAWK.
Once you read the whole script you will understand.
Here is the full synopsis as per the original screenplay on Amazon's website:
"Based on a true story and his personal experiences in modern day Ukraine, Ken seeks answers about his relationship with the love of his life that ended in heartbreak.
Did she really feel anything? Did she just use him? What is the truth behind the love he thought he had found?
As the love story, happiness, and heartbreak of his transformation are gradually revealed, questions of morality, corruption, lies, and betrayal surface. This is further complicated by the vast differences in Ukrainian, Russian, and Western cultures.
Ken ultimately realizes his initial quest for love has changed him forever in ways he could never have imagined."
The full screenplay can be downloaded for FREE via .pdf here on Amazon:
https://studios.amazon.com/projects/1...
Feel free to read it and add reviews/comments as you like.
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
I just made this screenplay public as of today, so you can be one of the first to read it!
Back in August I wrote an original screenplay based upon my personal experiences and travels in the Ukraine.
It is a mix of fiction and non-fiction...the characters are real people.
The screenplay is a transformation story designed as a pilot movie for a series of movies or better adapted for a movie to begin a TV series.
Here is my favorite quote from the screenplay that is a great defining quote for the story, "Life is like that...Sometimes you have to peel off the bitterness in order to get to the part that is sweet."
Amazon's title page did not allow for spacing, but the title is really TOM A HAWK versus TOMAHAWK.
Once you read the whole script you will understand.
Here is the full synopsis as per the original screenplay on Amazon's website:
"Based on a true story and his personal experiences in modern day Ukraine, Ken seeks answers about his relationship with the love of his life that ended in heartbreak.
Did she really feel anything? Did she just use him? What is the truth behind the love he thought he had found?
As the love story, happiness, and heartbreak of his transformation are gradually revealed, questions of morality, corruption, lies, and betrayal surface. This is further complicated by the vast differences in Ukrainian, Russian, and Western cultures.
Ken ultimately realizes his initial quest for love has changed him forever in ways he could never have imagined."
The full screenplay can be downloaded for FREE via .pdf here on Amazon:
https://studios.amazon.com/projects/1...
Feel free to read it and add reviews/comments as you like.
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
Valentine's Day: Love is God in all...
Love is God in All
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, the topic of love is a timely one.
Throughout the years many have tried to define love and there are a plethora of quotes floating around the world with regard to love.
Love is something we cannot touch or taste, yet we all have experience with love. Whether it is the love of family, friends, pets, that special person, or our God, love is a concept and emotion to which everyone can relate.
What Does The Bible Say About Love?
When we search The Bible for the word "love" (or a derivative of the word love in different tenses), it appears in 442 verses (King James Version, KJV) and 686 verses (New International Version, NIV) respectively:
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksea...
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksea...
Most people are probably familiar with the Bible verses, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV):
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails...
As well as many may be familiar with the verse, 1 John 4:8 (KJV):
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
...for God is love
Therefore, if God is love (God = Love), then love is also God (Love = God), or more properly, love is the presence of God we feel inside and observe all around us.
Often non-believers inquire about relatable, tangible evidence for the existence of God. To this I would respond, please tell me about your personal experiences and observations with respect to love...
I will submit that love is the ubiquitous manifestation of God within us (and in all living things, as love is observable throughout nature, for example, animals protecting and caring for their young, the interspecies, unconditional love expressed by pets for their owners, etc...)
In other words, love is the embodiment of God that He planted in all; His enduring, telltale presence inside and surrounding us.
Interestingly, there are some fascinating science experiments which provide support for the argument that even plants and molecules of water "feel," or at least are affected by, love or the lack of love.
Considering that 71% of earth's surface is covered with water, and how we ourselves are mostly composed of water, I find it particularly intriguing that water seemingly reacts to love (continue reading for some scientific support in the section below).
The Affect of Love on Plants and Water
Many scientific experiments have been conducted with regard to speaking lovingly to a group of plants, while simultaneously ignoring a second group of plants, and speaking meanly to a third group of plants.
Here is just one such experiment (you can find many on the internet):
https://www.byoumagazine.com/power-of...
As in this specific experiment above, the plants that were spoken to lovingly grew faster and stronger than the other groups of plants: support for the supernatural power of love.
Similarly, love even appears to have an affect on water, the essential ingredient for life as we know it, as documented by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto in Japan.
To quote a Huffington Post article:
"Emoto realized both positive and negative words can have an influence on water’s structure by changing water’s crystals.
During his study of water, Emoto came to some fascinating revelations. He came to a belief that water was the so-called 'blueprint of our reality' and our emotional energy and vibrations can change the physical structure of water.
Emoto’s tests mostly consisted of putting water in glasses and then exposing it to different words, pictures, and music and then freezing it and analyzing how water crystals look.
And through his research and analysis, he came to the conclusion that if we 'influence' water with positive words, pictures, or music that water crystals will be nicely formed.
On the other hand, if one puts water near negative influences, such as saying negative words, or if you turn on some loud heavy metal music then the results would be the total opposite.
Those water crystals will be distorted and formed in an ugly and negative formation."
The whole article can be read here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mehdi-...
The Affect of Withholding Love on Human Development
We all come out of the womb needing love in order to grow and develop properly.
There was a shockingly cruel psychological experiment conducted on babies in the 13th century by King Frederick II. The purpose of the experiment was to see what language babies would speak if they were not spoken to or touched.
As recorded by the historian, Salimbene di Adam in 1248, babies were taken from their mothers and one group was spoken to and touched. In contrast, the second group of babies was completely deprived of these physical interactions.
This experiment was cut short because babies in the group for which physical interactions were withheld actually began to die.
For more information about this experiment see the link below:
http://www.digma.com/digma-images/vid...
We are all born with both the capacity and the need for love (God).
In fact, as this experiment shows, we all need love to live, grow, and thrive.
The Convergence of Science and Religion
Science has traditionally not been friendly toward religion, but it seems on the topic of love, there is a convergence between science and religion, whereas science is beginning to confirm the miraculous power of love (God).
As with the examples above, scientific observations are supportive of what believers already know: "...for God is love" (and therefore love is the palpable manifestation and also the irrefutable evidence of God).
There is a supernatural force within the workings of love that none of us, not even scientists, can deny.
Furthermore, it is no surprise to believers that prayer can heal people.
In fact, scientists have begrudgingly validated the positive effect of religion and prayer on health and healing. You can read more about this in the following article from WebMD:
https://www.webmd.com/balance/feature...
Scientists Search for The God Particle
In addition to providing scientific support for the power of love, prayer, and healing, scientists have also begun to confirm the existence of God's presence in everything.
All matter, whether living or non-living, is made up of atoms, which consist of smaller subatomic particles.
In their book titled, "The God Particle," Noble Prize-winning physicist Leon M. Lederman and Dick Teresi chronicle the search for the Higgs boson, a universal subatomic particle that gives mass to all forms of matter.
In other words, the Higgs boson, which Lederman nicknamed "The God Particle," is a part of absolutely everything in our world.
One has to wonder, that even by its very name, "The God Particle," did scientists just tantalizingly admit God's fingerprints on all matter in the universe?
Or to phrase this another way, in reference to God, Colossians 1:17 (NIV) states:
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
This is yet just another example of how science is once again confirming what is already known by Christians as is written in The Bible.
Conclusion: Love is God in All
For non-believers this Valentine's Day, I would ask you to observe love both within and all around your world.
...and if you are experiencing the power of love firsthand, to know that transcendental feeling you have inside which seems to transport you to another plane of existence: this is the manifestation of God embedded in your soul since birth.
To all believers, I hope love is yet just another palpable example that further strengthens your faith in God.
For this Valentine's Day and beyond, let's think more about what even science is beginning to confirm, that "Love is God in all."
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, the topic of love is a timely one.
Throughout the years many have tried to define love and there are a plethora of quotes floating around the world with regard to love.
Love is something we cannot touch or taste, yet we all have experience with love. Whether it is the love of family, friends, pets, that special person, or our God, love is a concept and emotion to which everyone can relate.
What Does The Bible Say About Love?
When we search The Bible for the word "love" (or a derivative of the word love in different tenses), it appears in 442 verses (King James Version, KJV) and 686 verses (New International Version, NIV) respectively:
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksea...
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksea...
Most people are probably familiar with the Bible verses, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV):
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails...
As well as many may be familiar with the verse, 1 John 4:8 (KJV):
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
...for God is love
Therefore, if God is love (God = Love), then love is also God (Love = God), or more properly, love is the presence of God we feel inside and observe all around us.
Often non-believers inquire about relatable, tangible evidence for the existence of God. To this I would respond, please tell me about your personal experiences and observations with respect to love...
I will submit that love is the ubiquitous manifestation of God within us (and in all living things, as love is observable throughout nature, for example, animals protecting and caring for their young, the interspecies, unconditional love expressed by pets for their owners, etc...)
In other words, love is the embodiment of God that He planted in all; His enduring, telltale presence inside and surrounding us.
Interestingly, there are some fascinating science experiments which provide support for the argument that even plants and molecules of water "feel," or at least are affected by, love or the lack of love.
Considering that 71% of earth's surface is covered with water, and how we ourselves are mostly composed of water, I find it particularly intriguing that water seemingly reacts to love (continue reading for some scientific support in the section below).
The Affect of Love on Plants and Water
Many scientific experiments have been conducted with regard to speaking lovingly to a group of plants, while simultaneously ignoring a second group of plants, and speaking meanly to a third group of plants.
Here is just one such experiment (you can find many on the internet):
https://www.byoumagazine.com/power-of...
As in this specific experiment above, the plants that were spoken to lovingly grew faster and stronger than the other groups of plants: support for the supernatural power of love.
Similarly, love even appears to have an affect on water, the essential ingredient for life as we know it, as documented by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto in Japan.
To quote a Huffington Post article:
"Emoto realized both positive and negative words can have an influence on water’s structure by changing water’s crystals.
During his study of water, Emoto came to some fascinating revelations. He came to a belief that water was the so-called 'blueprint of our reality' and our emotional energy and vibrations can change the physical structure of water.
Emoto’s tests mostly consisted of putting water in glasses and then exposing it to different words, pictures, and music and then freezing it and analyzing how water crystals look.
And through his research and analysis, he came to the conclusion that if we 'influence' water with positive words, pictures, or music that water crystals will be nicely formed.
On the other hand, if one puts water near negative influences, such as saying negative words, or if you turn on some loud heavy metal music then the results would be the total opposite.
Those water crystals will be distorted and formed in an ugly and negative formation."
The whole article can be read here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mehdi-...
The Affect of Withholding Love on Human Development
We all come out of the womb needing love in order to grow and develop properly.
There was a shockingly cruel psychological experiment conducted on babies in the 13th century by King Frederick II. The purpose of the experiment was to see what language babies would speak if they were not spoken to or touched.
As recorded by the historian, Salimbene di Adam in 1248, babies were taken from their mothers and one group was spoken to and touched. In contrast, the second group of babies was completely deprived of these physical interactions.
This experiment was cut short because babies in the group for which physical interactions were withheld actually began to die.
For more information about this experiment see the link below:
http://www.digma.com/digma-images/vid...
We are all born with both the capacity and the need for love (God).
In fact, as this experiment shows, we all need love to live, grow, and thrive.
The Convergence of Science and Religion
Science has traditionally not been friendly toward religion, but it seems on the topic of love, there is a convergence between science and religion, whereas science is beginning to confirm the miraculous power of love (God).
As with the examples above, scientific observations are supportive of what believers already know: "...for God is love" (and therefore love is the palpable manifestation and also the irrefutable evidence of God).
There is a supernatural force within the workings of love that none of us, not even scientists, can deny.
Furthermore, it is no surprise to believers that prayer can heal people.
In fact, scientists have begrudgingly validated the positive effect of religion and prayer on health and healing. You can read more about this in the following article from WebMD:
https://www.webmd.com/balance/feature...
Scientists Search for The God Particle
In addition to providing scientific support for the power of love, prayer, and healing, scientists have also begun to confirm the existence of God's presence in everything.
All matter, whether living or non-living, is made up of atoms, which consist of smaller subatomic particles.
In their book titled, "The God Particle," Noble Prize-winning physicist Leon M. Lederman and Dick Teresi chronicle the search for the Higgs boson, a universal subatomic particle that gives mass to all forms of matter.
In other words, the Higgs boson, which Lederman nicknamed "The God Particle," is a part of absolutely everything in our world.
One has to wonder, that even by its very name, "The God Particle," did scientists just tantalizingly admit God's fingerprints on all matter in the universe?
Or to phrase this another way, in reference to God, Colossians 1:17 (NIV) states:
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
This is yet just another example of how science is once again confirming what is already known by Christians as is written in The Bible.
Conclusion: Love is God in All
For non-believers this Valentine's Day, I would ask you to observe love both within and all around your world.
...and if you are experiencing the power of love firsthand, to know that transcendental feeling you have inside which seems to transport you to another plane of existence: this is the manifestation of God embedded in your soul since birth.
To all believers, I hope love is yet just another palpable example that further strengthens your faith in God.
For this Valentine's Day and beyond, let's think more about what even science is beginning to confirm, that "Love is God in all."
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
