Love to Love ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ Τώρα είναι η στιγμή!

"Love is always bestowed as a gift

 freely, willingly and without expectation. 

  We don't love to be loved; we love to love." 

Felice Leonardo Buscaglia

(31 March 1924 – 12 June 1998)

"The time to give the flowers in now...

The time to make the phone call is now..."

Τώρα είναι η στιγμή!  

 

Ο συγγραφέας της αγάπης, ο δόκτωρ Λοβ, ο δρ. Φελίτσε Λεονάρντο Μπουσκάλια, γεννήθηκε στο Λος Αντζελες στις 11 Ιουνίου 1924 και ήταν Ιταλικής καταγωγής. Για πολλά χρόνια ήταν καθηγητής στο πανεπιστήμιο της Βόρειας Καρολίνας, δίδαξε επίσης σε διάφορες ομιλίες, πνευματικές εκδηλώσεις, σεμινάρια κλπ το πανανθρώπινο και κοσμαγάπητο θέμα περί αγάπης, από το οποίο προήλθαν όλα τα βιβλία του, που του χάρισαν παγκόσμια αναγνώριση και επιτυχία.
Ήταν επίσης ένας ακούραστος ταξιδευτής, που τον συνόδευε παντού η φήμη του περίφημου ομιλητή και καθηγητή, ενώ οι διαλέξεις του ακούγονται και σήμερα και -πιστεύω θα ακούγονται για πάντα- με ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον σε όλα τα μήκη και πλάτη του κόσμου.
Σε όλα τα βιβλία του αλλά και στα πολλά τηλεοπτικά του προγράμματα ασχολείτο περισσότερο με τη δυναμική της αγάπης ως βασικός μοχλό στη διαμόρφωση μιας νέας ατομικής προσωπικότητας και κατα προέκταση στη δημιουργία μιας νέας, καλλίτερης, κοινωνίας.

Ο Λέο Μπουσκάλια πέθανε ξαφνικά και σχετικά πρόωρα στο σπίτι του στο Glenbrook της Νεβάδα στις 11 Ιουνίου 1998 από καρδιακή προσβολή σε ηλικία 74 ετών, και η ανθρωπότητα απώλεσε μια προικισμένη και ακάματη φωνή, που μιλούσε και δίδασκε το πιο αγαπημένο και ταυτόχρονα το πιο κοινωνικά φλέγον ζήτημα. Την αγάπη.

Βιβλιογραφία:

Μια ανάμνηση για τον Τίνο.

Προσωπικότητα και ολοκλήρωση.

Η αγάπη.

Άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες και οι γονείς τους.

Επτά ιστορίες χριστουγεννιάτικης αγάπης.

Να αγαπάμε ο ένας τον άλλον.

Ο δρόμος του Ταύρου.

Να ζεις, να αγαπάς και να μαθαίνεις.

Λεωφορείο 9 για τον Παράδεισο.

Επειδή είμαι άνθρωπος.

 

The following is excerpted from an article by Steven Short: 

 

Buscaglia was teaching in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California in the late 1960s when one of his students committed suicide. She had been one of the sets of "kind eyeballs" he always looked for in the large auditorium, because her responses showed him that at least one student was hearing what he said, so the news that she killed herself had a great impact on him. ["What are we doing stuffing facts into people and forgetting that they are human beings?"] This incident led him to form a non-credit class titled Love 1A. There were no grades. (How could you potentially fail someone in this class? That wouldn't be very loving!) The class led to lectures and a manuscript loosely based on what was shared in those weekly classes. The book found a publisher - and an author surprised to find that the simple title LOVE had never previously been claimed, allowing him to say "I have the copyright on LOVE!"

Buscaglia said he never taught this class, only facilitated it, adding that he learned as much as anyone. Someone from a Public Broadcasting System affiliate heard one of his talks and arranged to tape a later presentation, eventually showing it during a pledge drive. The response was so strong that it was presented to the national office for consideration. There was great resistance, because a professor simply standing at a podium lecturing was considered old-fashioned, something from the old days of "educational television." Still, the message and delivery were so compelling that they gave it a try, and Leo Buscaglia's warm presentations touched viewers' hearts through the cool medium of television nearly as effectively as they did in person. He has been called the "granddaddy of motivational speakers" on television. His simple message delivered in a dynamic style made him a popular guest on television talk shows, as well as on the lecture circuit. At one time five of his books were on The New York Times Best Sellers List simultaneously.

Leo Buscaglia was a cheerleader for life. "Life is a banquet," he would say, quoting from the movie "Auntie Mame," " and most poor fools are starving to death." He was most closely associated with the topic of love and human relationships, emphasizing the value of positive human touch, especially hugs.  

Born in Los Angeles, Felice Leonardo Buscaglia (he later inverted the initials) was the youngest of four children of Italian immigrants. He was raised Roman Catholic, and was influenced by Buddhism in his adult life. The combination of physically demonstrative love of life learned from his Mediterranean parents combined with the inner reflection learned from travels and studies in Asia served him well.

The study of love brought him to the study of life. "To live in love is to live in life, and to live in life is to live in love." But this should never be done passively. He wrote, "It's not enough to have lived. We should determine to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely." Only you will be able to discover, realize, develop and actualize your uniqueness. And when you do, it's your duty to then "give it away." *

* Full article by Steven Short can be read at www.buscaglia.com/biography

 

I do not remember the class or the name of the professor but I never have forgotten being introduced to the delicious writings and  teachings of Leo Buscaglia.

It was in 1992 and I was blessed to be able to watch him on public television and being interviewed on shows promoting his latest book.

I read all his books and was forever changed in a way that has continued to expand in scope since that time.

Leo Buscaglia was the personification of true love.

No I love you if or I’ll love you when...

Simply and Profoundly:

I love you because you are YOU.

PERIOD.

L. B., the doctor Love, is always alive in our hearts...

 

 

The art of being fully human

Bibliography:

A Memory For Tino

Personality And Integration

Love

People With Disabilities And Their Parents

Seven Stories Christmas Love

To Love Each Other

The Road Of Taurus

To Live, Love And Learn

Bus 9 To Paradise

Because I Am Man