The best is yet to come
GIANNA CARAVETTA | OPINION EDITOR | THE USD VISTA
I am so much more loved and worthy than I give myself credit for.
My heart breaks to hear of someone’s struggle to search for or accept love. To see someone so lovely unable or unwilling to stomach any sort of affirmation or love physically pains me. Yet with this overwhelming love of self, of community, of God, I too sometimes find myself amidst the hopelessness that these beautiful human beings experience.
As beautiful as it surely is, life can be difficult. We oftentimes find ourselves questioning why we are here or who we are. At the end of the day, what matters is that we did our best to live authentically to our truest self and to love and be loved.
My life thus far here at USD has been a beautiful, mesmerizing journey. One that is filled with an overwhelming sense of love, a refreshing sense of community, and a relentless sense of hope. In moments of community, of experiencing God’s love in action, I am reminded that I am not only loved, but that I am also so worthy of love.
Love isn’t only desired, it’s a necessity that helps to heal the longings in our hearts. Love isn’t an abstract word void of meaning and effective action, rather it is the constant call to serve one another, to live in solidarity with another.
As singer-songwriter Ben Rector sings, “You don’t find peace until you love somebody else.”
These lyrics speak truth to my life, and they surely hit me inbetween the eyes. Loving others is a privilege, an invitation to grasp someone’s chaos and brokenness. We can physically touch the reality of another’s innermost suffering and give a free gift of our love to someone who so desperately needs it.
Loving another is life-giving and draws us into peace. It is my prayer that we never ever forget this. When we feel lost or distraught amidst the chaos of life, we must remember how loved we are. From the love that heals to the love that breathes news life, love is a powerful force drawing us into community. In being loved, we are called to love others, in word and deed, in how we interact with others and how we spread love.
The crazy part is that we are all so loved and so worthy of love by the very nature that we exist. This love is the life force that sustains us, that gives us a hope for our lives. We must also remember that living and participating in the present means we don’t have to anticipate the future. Yet we are hopelessly aware that the best is always yet to come.