A little different spin for “the vine”, but I’ve been nudged to share my heart about this. Whether received well or not, it’s been a sporadic bouncing thought for a few days. The subject is not really a newbie, as I have always been a hopeless romantic and in love with being in love! Not just an ordinary love, but one spoken about in the lyrics of the tune, “When A Man Loves A Woman.” Michael Bolton has a rendition that is absolutely wonderful, however, the classic that sort of ‘does it’ for me, is the one performed by the late Percy Sledge. Are you visualizing the big semi-processed curly hair or afro and the Strahan gap? 😉
Love is a word often spoken, however, not always dissected or examined. It’s the combination of those four letters that flawlessly rolls off the tongue, whether or not it’s truly in sync with the Godly meaning, and the correlation of actions associated with it. It’s easy to say— Almost enunciation and pronunciation-proof! Funny how toddlers, who haven’t yet mastered the art of speech, manage to gurgle out a variation of the “L” word. Even my daughter’s first utterance of a complete sentence was, “I wove da-da.” (lol ) Sometimes, children honestly express the true emotion that love embodies more sincerely than we do. No matter how it rolls out, hearing the word is almost as beautiful as its meaning.
I love you! It, sometimes, becomes our go-to. It eases the tension; It smooths the surface; It warms the heart; It melts the butter; It gives our mind, and spirit the infamous, “Oh….okay.”; It makes it alright for the moment; It is the conveniently applied Band-Aid until something else can be delivered, or well, cleaned up. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but is often ‘fact’, when experiencing the complexities that are common to some of our relationships, past and present. The opposite is what we desire, and is the basis of my heart’s ear, spoken via The Cherry Vine.
This is about When A Man Loves A Woman, right? Are you on a mental search for the lyrics? Here’s how it kicks off….. When a man loves a woman Can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else He’d trade the world For a good thing he’s found If she is bad, he can’t see it She can do no wrong Turn his back on his best friend If he puts her down
How many women have experienced, without any doubt, that kind of love? Many of us can truly reflect, saying, “Yep, I remember.” or “Yep, I got that right now.” I’m no lyricist, by any stretch of the imagination, but I have my “take” on what Mr. Sledge was trying to convey. Haven’t always known or have been clear (C-L-A-R-I-T-Y), but trust me, as my mama says, “Just keep on living, and life will reveal some things.” So, although maybe not from each relationship experience, I know a man loves a woman when…
Intermission: Before I could finish this post, it was dropped in my spirit, Why are you writing about when a man loves a woman? You can only speculate. What you know for sure, is what it feels like or should feel like when a woman loves a man!! You can articulate that! I thought, Wow…I hear you, God! I’m still amazed at how He directs, then redirects my thoughts, depending on what He has for me to share at this particular moment. Well, here we go…
When a woman ends up loving a man, she might initially be attracted to his physical appearance, his smile or his ‘swag’. Getting past that, she begins to quickly see the God in him. The radiance of his belief in, his relationship with, and his love for The Creator are front-and-center. His physical ‘sexy’ may have caught her eye, but his spiritual ‘sexy’ has engulfed her heart. When he speaks, she is in awe of how he expresses his thoughts. He speaks with confidence, honesty and integrity. She is mentally simulated and captivated by what appears to be the psyche of a man who is genuine. She knows there’s something different here. She knows that there is an atmospheric shift that started the moment they met, to every subsequent moment in which communication exists. The mere thought of him makes her smile. She prays for him, unselfishly. She deeply cares for everything and everyone connected to him. This woman is his consummate supporter; his biggest cheerleader. She’s constantly thinking of what she can do to make his day brighter; to make him smile; to make his life smoother; to make him feel loved and supported. He gives her light, so her heart is illuminated with love, respect, and warmth to love him, and everyone else much better. She knows what love means between a man and a woman, therefore, no longer has to wonder what it feels like. She has no doubt that he loves her the same. What she adores about him the most, is how he honors God and appreciates the blessing of family. She delights in being on a spiritual journey that includes him. She’s grateful to be in the line-up of his thoughts, not every once in a while, but every day he is given the opportunity to process her existence. Whew….That’s a whole lot! In my mind, it is when a woman truly loves a man!
Rounding up this pouring of emotion, the word, ‘effortless’, comes to mind. As a friend once shared with me, sometimes when God is attempting to bless you with something, He makes it effortless! It doesn’t require struggle—It is presented with ease. In that regard, we sometimes make His offer of simplicity, very complex. Love is meant to be easy. When a woman loves a man, the emotions of what she feels for him is never complicated. They roll easily through her heart like soft butter, gliding slowly and syrupy on this hot pecan pancake that I’m finishing up, as I close this draft post. It is, undoubtedly, the sweet, warm, and appetizing existence of a woman’s love for a man—who deserves it! Skip the sugar-free syrup! Wait for the real thing! 🙂
Peace and Blessings, Lisa B
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