The importance of love

I have tried to write this post three times now.
Each time, I get about 5 paragraphs in, and I realise that I don't have the words to say what needs said, so I have decided to use the words of others to help.


We have heard a lot over the past few days that we need to be tolerant of each other.
I get it, but I disagree.
Before you get angry, let me give you a definition of tolerance

tolerance

ˈtɒl(ə)r(ə)ns/

noun

1. 1.

   the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behaviour that one dislikes or disagrees with.

Yvonne Pierre

We don't need to be tolerant of each other

We need to love each other

We need to accept that we are all different. 

Not by race, not by creed, not by sexuality

We are different by person. 

We are unique.
We need to stop disagreeing with each others uniqueness.

There are many red-haired, freckled, overweight, Irish women in the world.

But there there is only one me.

I was baptised but I don't consider myself religious

I like to think that faeries could be real

I love cabbage and bacon

I hate sheep

I love to twirl

I can't sing but it doesn't stop me trying        

I cry every time I watch the Green Mile

The death of Sirius Black broke my heart

I love musicals

I truly believe raisins are simply wasted wine   

I talk too much

I think I am hilarious.

That is me.

I don't want anyone else like me.

I like being unique

I have a wide circle of friends

A wider circle of acquaintances

I like that they are different

I have the most amazing conversations about life, faith, love with my Mormon friends

I have chuckles about the difference in faiths with my Catholic and Protestant friends

I know Orthodox church members, Muslim, Hindi (I'm not sure if I know any Jewish people...)

I drink craft beer with my Aberdonian pals

I twirl in gay bars with my gay friends
I twirl in any bar with anyone if I am honest!

I 'sing' in karaoke bars with my Glaswegian pals

I go shopping with blonde and brunette friends

Shylock, The Merchant of Venice

While my friends are all different they are also all very similar

They all make me smile

They all make me laugh

They share their stories with me

The share their food, drinks, whatever with me

They are kind

They are generous

They are supportive

Most importantly 

They make me feel loved

They love me for me.

For Lou.

The world doesn't need tolerance

The world needs unconditional love

It needs unconditional acceptance

It needs us to be kind to each other

The shooting in Orlando was horrendous.

Over 50 people killed who were just having fun in a night club.

50 children of parents

50 friends

50 relatives
They died because of homophobia

They died because of hate.

A young politician was brutally murdered in the UK today, Jo Cox.

Gunned down outside her library
She spoke opening about the need to be a more inclusive society
Her gunman disagreed

She died because of hate.

Hatred isn't a modern day thing

Hatred has existed as long as man has existed.

Hatred is learned

We need to stop teaching it

I love the following clip...

It shows just how important it is to teach about love