Same hiking boots as in August. Different mountains and for sure the opposite season!
Over the weekend here, I reread a book that I had already read twice.
First time: for an undergraduate university course about the psychology of human development. What I remember from that perusal of The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm (well-respected German psychologist who became an American citizen, then later retired to Switzerland) was that I memorized whatever I needed to know to pass the class test. So basically I learned nothing.
Second reading: a few years ago when I found the book again in a storage box, stuck with me better for its view of how broadly the concept of love applies to living. At least this time I thought it worthy to stay out on my shelf...
Third and probably not the last exploration: motivated by participants in the 5th Six for Yourself seminar this Autumn. Their examples of real-life lasting changes ranged from developing talents, careers, and relationships to staying healthy or open-minded. All of them included love as a reason they had "stayed in." In fact, maybe "the reason."
I thought there might be something in this book specifically to add to that conversation; so, I took it with me to the mountain air. There was something in it. A lot. I made notes and underlined ferociously. (When I read a fourth time the entire book may be highlighted!)
Fromm says, "Love is the active concern for the life and the growth of that which we love." He goes on to say that it requires care, responsibility, respect and knowledge - the same qualities needed to nurture an artistic talent or a plant or a child.
Normally when I hike, the mountains tell me the truth. This time they told me about courage. As it turns out, Fromm told me about that, too: the courage to love full-in as an active way of living. It took the mountains and a few decades to make me finally listen!
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