Shabbat Shalom! This is the third day of rest in a row! May you continue to have peace on this journey!

As we veer from the Parsha, we connect more with the Omer. This is from Chabad:

Today is the Gevurah of Chesed. The discipline of love.

“Healthy love must always include an element of discipline. A degree of distance and respect for the other. An assessment of the persons capacity to contain your love. Love must be tempered and directed properly. Ask a parent who in the name of love has spoiled his child; or someone who suffocates their spouse with love and doesn’t allow her any space of her own. Love with discretion is necessary to avoid giving to those that don’t deserve it.

Is my love disciplined enough? Do others take advantage of my giving nature? Am I hurting anyone by becoming their crutch in the name of love? Am I hurting my children by forcing upon them my value system because I love them so? Do I respect the one I love or is it a selfish love? Am I sensitive to his feelings and attitudes? Do I see my beloved as an extension of myself and my needs? In my love is there as much emphasis on the one I love and his ability to contain my love as there is on me and my giving? Rain is a blessing only because it falls in drops that don’t flood the fields.”

These are critical questions to ask ourselves. And I’m reflecting on these answers within me:

Is my love for myself disciplined enough? Do i take advantage of my own giving nature? Am I hurting myself by becoming a crutch for others in the name of love? Am I hurting myself because I force upon my children my value system because I love them so? Do I respect myself or am I selfish? Am I sensitive to my own feelings and attitudes? Do I see myself as an extension of love? In my love is there as much emphasis on my ability to receive and contain love as there is on me and giving love to others?

These are good questions as we enter this intermediate time!

What are your thoughts?