Fear as the Absence of Love

My interest in consciously choosing love over fear began with the study of A Course in Miracles.  One of the basic concepts of this teaching as I understand it is that fear is the absence of love, just as darkness is the absence of light.  As it is a shift to think of darkness as being the absence of light as opposed to the opposite of light, it is a similar shift to think of fear as the absence of love.

Though most people consider "hate" to be the opposite of love, the course considers hate to be just one of many manifestations of fear.  All positive emotions, thoughts, actions, and behaviors stem from love and all negative emotions, thoughts, actions, and behaviors stem from fear.  One thing we want to avoid is using this philosophy to judge ourselves or others for being in fear and instead use it to encourage compassion for ourselves and others.

You may have come upon the quote, "Love me when I deserve it the least, for that is when I need it the most."  Though it can be a challenge to love yourself when you regret a choice you make or love another when they are being difficult, this is the work we all need to practice.  Putting our egos aside, setting down our need to be right or prove another wrong and instead recognizing the true need, which, simplistic though it may sound, is always...love.