07-When Love Beckons You

    When Love Beckons You

    When love beckons to you， follow him， though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you， yield to him， though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you， believe in him， though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

    For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun， so shall he descend to our roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

    But if， in your fear， you would seek only love‘s peace and love’s pleasure， then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love‘s threshing-floor， into the seasonless world where you shall laugh， but not all of your laughter， and weep， but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but it self and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not， nor would it be possessed， for love is sufficient unto love.

    Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must have desires， let these be your desires：

    To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

    To know the pain of too much tenderness.

    To be wounded by your own understanding of love；

    And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

    To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving；

    To rest at the noon hour and meditate love‘s ecstasy；

    To return home at eventide with gratitude；

    And then to sleep with a payer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

    愛的召喚

    當愛召喚你時，請追隨她，盡管愛的道路艱難險峻。當愛的羽翼擁抱你時，請順從她，盡管隱藏在其羽翼之下的劍可能會傷到你。當愛向你訴說時，請相信她，盡管她的聲音可能打破你的夢想，就如同北風吹落花園里所有的花瓣。

    愛會給你戴上桂冠，也會折磨你。愛會助你成長，也會給你修枝。愛會上升到枝頭，撫愛你在陽光下顫動力的嫩枝，也會下潛至根部，撼動力你緊抓泥土的根基。

    但是，如果你在恐懼之中只想尋求愛的平和與快樂，那你就最好掩蓋真實的自我，避開愛的考驗，進入不分季節的世界，在那里你將歡笑，但并非開懷大笑，你將哭泣，但并非盡情地哭。愛只將自己付出，也只得到自己。愛一無所有，也不會為誰所有，因為愛本身就已自足。

    愛除了實現自我別無他求。但是如果你愛而又不得不有所求，那就請期望：

    將自己融化并像奔流的溪水一般向夜晚吟唱自己優美的曲調。

    明了過多的溫柔所帶來的苦痛。

    被自己對愛的理解所傷害；

    并情愿快樂地悲傷。

    在黎明帶著輕快的心醒來并感謝又一個有家的日子；

    在黃昏懷著感恩之心回家；

    然后為內心所愛之人祈禱，吟唱贊美之歌，并帶著禱告和歌聲入眠。