Practicing love

Even superheroes face a learning curve from discovering their powers to
actually using them effectively, to actually using them, not being ruled by
or fearing the power. In Smallville, we see Clark Kent practicing in the
safety of the remoteness of the family farm. The Bat-family has the
auspices of Bruce Wayne to give them guidance and training. In the Marvel
world, there is an entire school dedicated to developing nuances of
superpowers -- controlling the evocation of the power, discerning the needed
intensity, and most importantly, being able to limit the power before it
becomes self-destructive. Moreover, there is the emotional regulation, the
ethics and responsibilities, of using superpowers. How do you not let this
power, this one aspect of your physical manifestation, become YOU, overtake
who you are as a complete being? As the latest issue of Wonder Woman
(long overdue) asks, is Wonder Woman a role played by Diana or is
Diana a role played by Wonder Woman? In the end, it all takes
practice, awareness, and patience.

Like love.

A superpower we all have.

Usually it sneaks up on us, unaware, unprepared. Outwardly, we seem
the same, but there something new, wonderful, scary lurking within.
It is unfamiliar and we are not sure what
to do. We think we know all about love; we have seen images of love
in songs, in movies, in fairy tales. We may trust it completely and
submit ourselves wholly to its power,
forgetting the totality of who we are, hoping the magic will work as
we are told it should. When it does not, when it is apparent that
love is not magic, but a gift we must nurture, what was love may
become resentment, anger, hatred. We fumble with love in a tug of
war. Love gives us power, over ourselves and over others, power to
heal or hurt, to bring peace or war, to free or oppress.
Love, does it liberate us or control us? In the end, it takes practice to
know when our love is real and pure or when it is a front to serve our ego.

Love, like so much in life, is a practice, something we must do with
awareness and discipline.