There were two things that came to my mind when reading Thurman's chapter on love: "Remember the Titans" and natural disasters.
I assume we all remember "Remember the Titans," but just in case there is someone who has never seen it, I will summarize it. Two high schools, one black and one white, must merge together. The movie focuses on the football team, the Titans, as a black coach takes over the position of head coach from a title-winning white man. The team is forced to interact and end up coming together through their mutual love of football. This movie came to mind when Thurman writes "It is necessary, therefore, for the privileged and the underprivileged to work on the common environment for the purpose of providing normal experiences of fellowship" (pg. 98). After football camp the black players and the white players have become friends and return to a school and a hometown that is still very segregated. The white players, however, realize the good in their new-found friendships and hang out with the blacks in public. This is where the town begins to change (although it helps that the football team wins every game). Seeing the football players interacting positively helps many see the other race as another human being: one who is worthy of love and friendship. A cheesy movie, but one of my favorites.
Thurman briefly mentions a natural disaster in Vanport, OR which caused many whites to open their homes to other races that were made homeless. While I am somewhat hesitant to say this, I love natural disasters and this is one of the reasons why. Aside from the amazing power of God's creation reminding us that we are not as in control as we think, natural disasters bring people together. It is something that no one is safe from and no one is above. Natural disasters happen to everyone, regardless of race or social status. These become a common denominator between people, and where there once was much hate, love begins.
All that said - love is difficult, and it is only through remembering how much God loves and forgives us that we can even attempt it. Love God. Love others. Love yourself.
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It is interesting how things out of our control (like weather) cause us to look outside ourselves. We just become part of the human race, a blip in history. We are so small in comparision with nature and the span of this world. Once we see this we begin to focus on the bigger picture; race, class, and gender are no longer important. The field is leveled because we are simply God's creation, global neighbors who are commanded to love eachother. Love is the only answer.
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