September 2, 2012 – Catechism 1762 – 1775

Love is to will the good of another.  We are working with Paul on being less selfish.  He is looking out for number 1, wants toys when he wants them, wants to eat when he wants to, bathroom, outside, etc.  I have been telling him that he needs to think of others first, that he shouldn’t only think about himself.  He says that this is hard and he makes mistakes.  He couldn’t be more right.  Selfishness is very hard to step away from.  When you look at this definition of love, being selfish does not allow you to love in any sense of the word.  (I don’t know if you can love yourself if this is the definition.  Loving yourself would require you to love others because that is what will cause you the most joy.)  We are all selfish to a point, but I know some that take it to an extreme.  I don’t know how they can go through life in that way.  It would make me so lonely.  I know when I have acted selfish, it tends to lead to me being alone because I have driven people away.  When you are thinking first of others, people will gravitate to you, and not in order to take advantage of you, but to just be with you because that “love” emanates from you.  Selfishness drives people away, Selflessness draws people to you.  One is the epitome of love, one is the complete opposite.