Cultural Values and Love

Sutra Number: 
662
Heaven Sutra Date: 
11/02/2000

Nancy O. to God:

Dear God, thank You for answering my latest questions about cultural values and loving in the October 18 Heavenletter.

I thought You might say that culture is not the law but the custom, which You do, while still acknowledging that we need to meet its call to us. Thank You for reminding us that love is the goal, not necessarily the formality of marriage. Did I get that right?

You also said, "It comes back to control. When love comes, be love that receives." This sounds fine unless you're not attracted to someone who decides to love you. It is ok to love this declared suitor, but tell them you are not attracted to them and do not want a romantic attachment, isn't it? How does control fit in? On this point I am still not quite clear.

Taking in Your powerful love, Nancy O.

God to Nancy O.:

There is no law in the Human world. There are laws, but no law. No one else, nothing else, in the world is to make your decisions for you. Especially in matters of the heart.

When I said, "When love comes, be love that receives", I meant that when love WITHIN YOU comes, be that love. I did not mean that you must return someone else's feelings for you. Being honest is always the favor, to you and to another.

Is being attracted of the physical? I'm afraid I know only love. I am guessing that the attraction you speak of is on the physical level. My children are certainly lighted up by physical attraction, but you also know that that is a flame that does not usually last. But physical attraction is often taken as love.

To My mind, love cannot be sized up. I do not know older and younger, black and white, cultures, and all the world's right and wrongs. I know hearts. I know souls. I know the beauty of hearts' connecting.

Perhaps it is well here to speak of friendship rather than love. Love has too many flares with it. Friendship is more truth perhaps in the world.

When friendship comes, it comes. It comes where it will. It may not be the favored friendship that your society would endorse, but it is your friendship.

Yes, Nancy, think in terms of friendship and not of love. Make friends where your heart makes friends. Be a friend when you are. Friendship in the world has fewer requirements than love does.

In the world, love is spoken of in terms of a love, or the love, or one's love, as though it is an object and an object owned.

In the world, friends can be many, all at once. There does not have to be one friend or best friend or only friend. So friendship is an easier matter. Friendship of the heart is easier.

Think of friends in your life rather than loves in your life.

Does that ease?

Does that make "letting what is be" more understandable?

Hearts can love over miles.

Physical closeness is not a requirement for love or for friendship.

Hearts do not know boundaries.

Hearts don't think of society and let only so much in and not something else.

That is not heart.

That is mind.

That is the censoring mind.

Love doesn't know age.

And yet it is easier to be friends in the world with someone older or younger than to be loves.

Listen for truth, dear Nancy.

Listen for where your heart abides.

The trappings of love are not love.

About meeting the customs of your land, I do not say you have to meet them. I say don't deny them. What you do after that depends upon you and your friend and what your willingness is. I do not say to flaunt the world's ways but I also do not say cave in to them. That is up to you and what you think you can do. Some people can do it, and some cannot. That is all right. Nothing has to be proved here. Nothing ever has to be proved.

Love does not have to be proved.

Society does not have to be proved.

Nothing has to be proved.

Translate proved for control.

Translate justify for control.

Love is not a goal.

Let love be.

Let friendship be.

Love and friendship are precious.

They are not goals.

They cannot be willed on command.

They cannot be willed away on command.

But you can live together with your love or you can live apart or you can marry or you cannot, but the outer manifestation is not the love. The heart carries the love, or it does not. The outside is still the outside. Two lovers may decide to part, but the love remain.

I must mention also that in the world attachment is often mistaken for love.

I am saying that love does not have to be attached to the world or announced or not announced.

Love does not have to be named.

Like Me, it has to be allowed.

Love exists in the silent heart or it does not.

Love exists whether there is an object or not.

The object does not initiate love.

Love already is.

My love for you has nothing to do with your status in life or where you live or your skin or your worldly possessions. It is My love. And you are also My love.

Does this help?

I love to cascade My answer like a waterfall.

Ask Me all your questions upon question, Nancy.

Come back with more, so I can give more.

* * *

Nancy L. to Heavenletters:

What a great answer from God yesterday, November 1. Now all I have to do is take the suggestions, which I am trying to do. My husband later offered to set up my spray gun to glaze my pots! In my mind I had decided that I could do without his help if I had to. I can set up lights myself. But he can do a better job than I can to set up the spray gun. I will try to take God's advice as time gets closer. Today I decided that the pots I make are for and by God in me and I am pleased at the results so far. I made some very nice plates. I will be reporting on my show after the event.

Thanks again.