What’s love got to do with it?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
—Mark 12:30-31 NIV

Tina Turner puts on a phenomenal show! One of her songs, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” is a catchy fast driving piece, but the lyrics invite you to give a second thought … Is love just a second hand emotion?

Or, is love the core of what you and everyone else on planet earth both crave and seek to sustain? To love and be loved? Is real love all about me or is it also about others?

The passage above shows that love is central to the joy of life and the journey of faith. There is no higher standard than to love our neighbors, and to love God.

But love is not only noun…it is best as a verb...the action it inspires...compassion, tenderness, listening, taking time to share, doing for others without consideration of self.
No one starts their day by saying: “Today I will be harsh, unloving, and judgmental. Today I will make others miserable.” Unfortunately sometimes in the hurriedness of life and the need to get stuff done, the frustrations and little irritations all add up and you find yourself being less than loving, less than considerate or compassionate…and you don’t feel good about it.

Acts of love need not be complex or costly…time is perhaps the most precious gift; time to listen, time to be present to family, patients, fellow employees, and physician partners. Taking time to demonstrate that love is more than a word…it is a gift you share!

Some young kids were asked: “What is love?” As you read, be reminded of “What’s love got to do with it?”

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time. That's love.'

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different’

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on cologne, then they smell each other.'

'Love is when you give somebody most of your French fries without getting any of theirs.'

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

'You shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Seeing the recently widowed neighbor cry, the little boy climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. “What did you say to him” his mom asked? “Nothing, I just helped him cry” the little boy said.