I wanted to give a quick update on my ongoing illness. There are some very vicious rumors floating around that I have cooties. For everyone’s information, I had my cootie shot when I was in first grade (and a cootie booster every year thereafter until fifth grade).

The problem that I’m experiencing now is less serious than cooties, but still bothersome — an inner ear infection. I’ve had this problem for the last eight or nine days. Doctors at the university prescribed some anti-biotics (in case it is a bacterial infection). Judging by how little it’s improved, it might be something of a viral nature. The good news is that inner ear infections are not contagious (unlike cooties).

In my strategic management class this evening, I could distinctly recall hearing the phrases “…genetically engineered rapes…” and “…half-naked, making their own wine…” Both phrases were uttered by the same person, so he may actually have been a sick, vulgar bastard that actually said those things instead of me not hearing him right. I decided to skip the regional recruiting event tomorrow because I don’t think I could deal with hearing a future employer say “…blow me where the Pampers is…” or something similar. Anyway, this has been a real problem that I hope clears up shortly.

As usual, I would like to thank everyone for their prayers, well wishes, positive vibes, and for not talking about me behind my back during this trying time (or in front of me, since I wouldn’t be able to hear what you’re saying anyway).

In last night’s post, “Love: Metaphysically Speaking,” I discussed love as an attractive force, such as in the case of the love of God. But what is this love of others that we hear so frequently about? Jesus continued his discussion of this concept in Matthew 22:39-40:

And the second command is like the first: ‘You must love other people the same as you love yourself.’ All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands.

Spiritually speaking, loving others is the attraction of the Spirit that resides in each and every one of us. This is a representation of the Spirit which the True God manifests. In order to manifest this love, we seek to bring our bodies closer to each other (sometimes driven by other feelings that I definitely don’t have to explain).

While it is easy to say that we must move toward one another and unite our Spirits to express this love, that is much easier said than done, at least in this world. It can be quite frustrating when we are Spirits in a Material existence and are often distracted into not realizing that we are Spirits at all! While success in this matter may only be fully realized in other states of beings or in what some may term Heaven, we must constantly seek to address this similarity and God-likeness in each other. By realizing this commonality in others, we move toward bringing about love, and we allow others to love us.

Metaphysically speaking (and to a degree physically speaking), this universe works on two forces — one: a force of attraction that we will call LOVE — the other: a force of repulsion we will call FEAR. If I love beer (which I do), I will want to bring myself closer to it. If I’m afraid of dachshunds (long dogs with short legs are creepy), I will run away.

This whole love and fear thing also applies to God. If God — the True God, not the one who has to tell you he’s God — is Spirit, then this material world would quite possibly be the one point in the universe farthest away from this Spirit. The question then becomes, “Do you move toward God or away from God?”

Now some folks will tell you that you must (at the same time) run toward God and run away from God (or love him AND fear him). These people are assholes — Jesus even called them out in Matthew 22:36-38:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

Well, Jesus, didn’t actually call them assholes (but I did)… And “fear” was nowhere to be found. Running toward the True God would necessitate running away from this world, or at least not taking the things the world throws at you so seriously.