Love Needs No Translation

"You know," muses Annie Prouix, "one of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music."

Dramatic piano accompaniment like that would set the tempo in silent movies was all that was missing in the scene real life presented Wednesday night. April, who heads the children's ministry at my church, was introducing this summer's intern to the congregants among whom she would be ministering for the summer. As April went about her gracious business, a little lady of about five approached from behind her, latched to the back of her knees, and went along for the ride. The intern's T-shirt provided the caption for the nickelodeon narrative. It read, "Love needs no translation."

Any explanation is inelegant. However, since most of us are no longer as fluent in the language of love as this little lady was, I'll try, in brief. Love like hers is offered without fear of rejection. Love like hers diligently, eagerly seeks and values the small gesture, the privilege of contact for more than lengthy treatises of explanation. Meanwhile, love like April's can focus on a mission in the grown-up world, act in love toward that objective, and STILL have love to spare. April's love for her passenger also needs no translation. She can also convey love, and value, and affirmation to those she touches along the way even if their names may never appear on her calendar. True love which needs no translation also doesn't suffer in quality when it is divided and offered to others who may not appear on the day's calendar.

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 4, 2017 at 5:46 AM

    There is, I think, some powerful metaphor for love in electricity, only means something when it's flowing, provides light and warmth... I'm working out whether love is more akin to AC or DC...

    ReplyDelete

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