Writer Spotlight: Sacrificial Love by Gracie R.
Take a moment to enjoy this Writer Spotlight of Senior, Gracie R on Sacrificial Love. You will be glad you did. Excellent job, Gracie! Keep on writing!
This I Believe
“Love at first sight” is a well-known phrase. Love is seen in many forms. It is most commonly expressed by saying “I love you.” Sometimes people have the tendency to
overuse those words. Other times people do not use them enough. But the idea of “true love” is far deeper than words. True love is shown through actions. Parents sacrifice
their time for their children. Love holds a marriage together through their commitment and their sacrifice for one another. A soldier sacrifices their service and even their life
for their country. Love is not just a feeling. I believe true love is expressed with sacrifice.
Like most kids, I had “crushes.” I envisioned getting married. I wanted that dreamy guy to sweep me off my feet and have a romantic love story unfold before my eyes one day, just like in the movies. I remember when I said that I loved my crush in fourth grade. Oblivious to most things at this point in my life, I was fantasizing about something I did not understand. My parents sat me down and told me that I did not actually love this boy from fourth grade and clarified some things about love for me. I discovered what true love meant when I recognized true sacrifice.
Picture a plate of freshly baked cookies. A mother sets them on the kitchen table for her guests. Time goes by and one cookie sits alone on the plate. People wonder
who will get the last one. Then, out of nowhere, the mother barges through the guests saying, “Give that cookie to me! It is mine!” This typically does not happen. Usually a mother is seen sacrificing what she desires to help the needs of others. My mom works hard for my siblings and I to be equipped for adulthood. She shows patience in our
mistakes and comfort when we feel upset. She sacrifices so much for us because she cares for us. In the same way, my dad sacrifices his time by working to provide for us.
He teaches us lessons to keep us safe. Every day he asks each of his kids how our day was because he cares. He does not have to, but even the little sacrifices show how
much he loves us.
Another example of love is expressed in marriage. There are periods that the individuals involved are not fond of each other. Arguments, as well as tempers, may
grow fervent. Those are the times people are most tempted to throw in the towel, but those are also the times the most growth is inspired. If the couple decides to fight for
their marriage in those moments, love grows. Sacrifice is shown by saying, “Even though I don’t like you right now, I still love you.” It is the choice of staying together and
sacrificing their own wants and desires for the relationship. Because when someone cares about something or someone, they fight for it, not against it. This love holds the
couple together even when the tensions get high.
Nothing demonstrates sacrifice more than the literal act of fighting and facing death for something or someone else. Soldiers are traditionally respected by the people
of their country. But why? Because one of the most honorable things one can do is lay down their life for something they love. A soldier leaves their comfort, their home, and
their family to serve. They strive to keep their country and those they love safe. They choose others over themselves. A soldier is the epitome of sacrifice because they risk
their lives for someone else’s benefit.
Given these points, true love is more complex than the feeling of liking someone else. Love’s spectrum is put on display from the simplicity of the gentle touch of a
mother to the significance of a soldier’s dying breath. I come across the most powerful examples of love when someone’s focus is not on their own needs, but on the needs of
others. It is no longer just a matter of words, but the purest form of true love is revealed through sacrifice.
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