A Unity minister gave the talk last Sunday at the Science of Mind center I attend, and since it was the day before Valentine’s Day, she spoke about the various types of love.

Rev. Sophia Falke quoted a lot from 1 Corinthians 13 which describes many of the attributes of love. I’m sure you’re familiar with this bible chapter as it’s often recited at wedding ceremonies, starting with “Love is patient, love is kind…”

Noting some other characteristics of love, it rejoices in truth, bears up under all problems, believes and trusts, hopes, understands the faults of others, never fails, and perseveres. We often contemplate these characteristics and seek to apply them in our interactions with those we care about. But Rev. Sophia also spoke about self-love and shared other words often recited at wedding ceremonies that had a clever twist. It is an affirmation of loving oneself:

I Vow to LOVE myself

For Better or Worse

For Richer or Poorer

In Sickness and in Health

From this day Forward.

– Rev. Bill Englehart

The aforementioned is a potent reminder that the power of love comes from within, that it starts with the individual fully loving themselves, warts and all. In so doing, each of us is able to fully express out into the world the loving beings that The Divine created.