There Is Enough Love

There Is Enough Love

(I related this story back in November 2011 and it is such a significant story that I repeat it again with a slightly different slant.  Thanks for understanding.  (Based on Brennan Manning’s story as told in The Furious Longing of God)

“Once upon a time there was a college student named Larry.  Larry was rather large; fat actually, and unkempt.  He wore clothes that were dirty and ragged at best.

He suffered with a very low self-esteem.  He dated no one, for others labeled him as “ugly”. 

One year at Christmas time, Larry went home to visit his parents in Rhode Island.  Larry’s father was a typical lace-curtain Irishman.  That meant that on the hottest of days he would come to the dining table with a tie and suit on, and he spoke in subdued tones. 

As the New Year approached, Larry told his Dad that he needed to get back to school the next day. 

“What time, son?”

“Six-o’clock.”

“Well, I’ll ride the bus with you as far as I can.”

The next morning Larry and his father got off the bus at Dad’s work place so Larry could catch another bus to go to the airport. 

There was a group of men in front of Dad’s work place and they begin making loud and degrading remarks about Larry. 

“Oink, oink, oink.  Look at that fat pig." 

Another man remarked, “if that slob was my kid, he’d be out the door so fast, he wouldn’t know if he’s on foot or horseback.  Hey pig!  Give us your best oink.”

The harsh words continued.

At that moment Larry’s father, for the first time in his life, reached out and embraced him, kissed him and said, “Larry, if your mother and I live to be two-hundred years old, that wouldn’t be long enough to thank God for the gift He gave to us in you.  I am so proud that you are my son!”

What amazing and transformational words those were. 

Here’s what happened. 

Larry went back to school.  He began to clean up, and he began dating.  Soon Larry became the president of one of the fraternities.  He also pulled off a 4.2 grade point average.  He had a brilliant mind. 

On June 14, 1974 Larry was ordained a priest in the diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.  After being ordained, he spent the next twenty years as a missionary in South America, living a totally sold-out life to His God. 

Why the transformation?  Why did Larry turn from being a fat slob and an aimless nobody?

In one defining moment in time, Larry felt unconditional love from his father.  That moment changed his life forever.  His father healed him.” 

Larry found and felt enough love in that one embrace from his father and that love proved to be enough. 

My, oh my!  Have you ever experienced enough love?

I had to attend the funeral of my brother-in-law recently.  As we went through that experience I kept thinking "There is a lot of love here today.  Enough love to make it through such as time as this.”

I am married to Carolyn.  Never have I been loved to the degree that she loves me.  We are discovering enough love to make it through life, together. 

I’ve attended a few AA and Al-anon meetings.  The one thing that strikes me about these meetings is that there is enough love in each of those meetings to help the participants make it through another day and night.  Just enough love to make it through.

I believe that someone near you today needs a sense of ‘just enough love’ to make it through whatever they are facing.  They need you.  They need your love.  They need your word or touch. 

May you find the grace to extend just enough love to someone near you today.

After all, there is enough love for you and me!