As the saying goes there’s a fine line between love and hate. Probably because both love and hate are strong emotions. However love can be more powerful than hate because love has the ability to end division, inspire peace, build relationships, and dissolve hostilities. Love attracts and begets positive energy.

Hate is the emotion of an intense dislike, often associated with feelings of anger, disgust or hostility towards, situations, people, things, etc.

The opposite of love is not hatred it’s indifference. You cannot hate someone unless you care about that person. Sometimes we use hatred as a defense mechanism, as a way to deny our true feelings of caring. Sometimes, unbeknownst to ourselves we attempt to convince ourselves that we hate, or at a minimum dislike, someone or something because they do not reciprocate our love or because we are envious of them.

Sadly it’s easy to hate and much more difficult to love. After all that is how the world works. All good things are difficult to achieve and bad things are easy to get. But the real difference between love and hate is choice.

Love and hate are simply emotions and our emotions are volatile and often unfounded and deceptive. We must make a conscious choice to love, and to do it we must tell ourselves over and over again that we love our lives and others. We actually must teach ourselves to love, making a bona fide effort. Love can be stifled in this world because our imperfect world is a better breeding ground for hatred than love. Love must germinate within each of us. If we look at the world with a grateful heart, positive attitude and loving eyes the world we see is no longer filled with hate but love.

Love and hate sometimes exists in our personal relationships and if taken to the extreme these relationships are wild, thrilling, full of passion and even addictive. But these relationships are also stressful, destructive, and dangerous. Such aberrant relationships impact all aspects of one’s life including their happiness and sanity. Love hate relationships thrive on conflict, incompatibilities and drama, they are filled with more anger, hostility and malign passion than happiness and romance. If you ever doubt your relationship keep in mind that Love conquers all while hate destroys all. Remember Life is fragile handle with prayer.

Upcoming events:

Every Thursday there is an open to the public bid euchre tournament downstairs at the Versailles Vets Club beginning at 7 p.m.

Mark your calendar for a library event on Feb. 1 when Moeller Brew Barn explains the differences between craft beers and even teach how you can make your own home brew. Feb. 6, the Vet’s Club will have an evening of karaoke (downstairs) with Orville 8 p.m.

Happy birthday to Mollie Clark, Kevin Phlipot, Alma Derr, Dave Richard, Courtney Hayes, Rick Clark, Jessica Groff, Russell Marchal, Judy Monnin, Lauren Prenger, Amy Dirksen, Lil Bruns, Mary Lou Unger, Sue Christian, Steve Monnin, Carly Bolin, Lynn Drees, Nicholas Bohman, Barbara Rethlake, Tony Baltes, Jill Siegel, Mike Magoteaux, Tammy Berger, Kathy Gehret, Alex Kelch, Eli Oliver, Rachael Schlater, Gerry Drees, and Connie Klenke. Happy anniversary wishes to Cynthia and Ted Haacke and Naomi and Don Bemis (61).

Healing prayers and get well wishes for Lester Bernholt (mild stroke), Linda Wilson (breast cancer), Joan Butler (congestive heart failure), Cyril Frantz (home again), Jim Frantz, Norma Magoto, Marvin Godwin, Jennifer Platfoot, Dave Francis, Kevin Bohman, Ann Paulus Pedersen, James Magoto, Harry Gorrell, Chick Conley (convalescing), Jan Turner, Dan Bertke, Dan Monnin, Betty Dotson, Kathy Magoto, Kathy Miller, Betty Hess, Scottie Barga, Bob Longenecker, Josh Paulus, John Davis, Beverly Norton, Carl Drees, Dave Magoto, Alan Barga, Bob Homan, Kelly Bruns, Steven Youngker, Iris Nickol, Eileen Rahm, Robert Longenecker, Rita Wuebker, Merilyn Borchers, Yvonne Ridenour, Cyril Voisard, Wayne Pittsenbarger, Lois and James Youngker, Isabella Yakos, Brian Voisard Barb and Jon Agne, Samantha Smith, Michelle Ullom and all those dealing with any of life’s many challenges, as well the hospitalized or homebound in need of our prayers but not mentioned by name. Thank you to all the caregivers, volunteers and the kindhearted. Also thank you to the many beautiful souls for all the compassion, prayer, and love they have shown me through their kind words, via cards, emails, texts, messages, etc. I know people are going through much more than I am and it warms my heart to know they are bestowed with infinite prayers. Thanks and God bless the prayer-medics you come to the aid of those in need.

Sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Thomas Schulze (59), Dennis Post (64), and J.C. Waymire (86), also remembering the lives of Ramon Zeller, Ashley Lamb, Kelley McGlinch, and Christine Copeland, also remembering the lives of Thelma Barga, Gary Meyer, Hugo Schlarman, Kenny Todd, Phyllis Collins, Lucille Marshall, Gene Yohey, Marie Raterman, Norma Reed, Harry Brown, Ronald Laughman, Sue Keihl, Ryan Luthman, Dorie Baltes, Ed Bruns, Frances Rhoades, and Mary Ecabert and all who are in our hearts but not mentioned by name as the anniversary of their passing nears.

“Love me or hate me both are in my favor. If you love me I’ll always be in your heart, if you hate me I’ll always be in your mind.” ~Unknown

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ~Martin Luther King

“Letting go of negative people doesn’t mean you hate them, it just means you love yourself.” ~Unknown