A Force For Love

…you make a difference…

Hello beloved friend, settle in for a moment. Slip out of your shoes, take a deep breath, close your eyes as you sigh it out. Sit with yourself, eyes closed.

I’ll wait here…

Before us, great opportunity awaits. Let us look toward the light of love, hope and make our way there.

I’ll go with you.

We can have snacks and adventures.

We can be a force for love.

Rather than waiting for “things to get better,” rather than hoping someone will do something (who will do what, exactly?) rather than lashing out in anger and fear, or hiding under the covers until “things” change, let’s go now.

We can be the sign that others are waiting for.

Photo by Victor Ballesteros on Unsplash

There’s just a few things we ought do, in order to achieve the goal.

First, let’s get real.

( I’ve deleted both IG and Facebook. I did it months ago, and I don’t miss it one bit. I still get email notifications and if something seems terribly important, I can login on my web browser. So far, I’ve missed nothing important.)

When we get back to real, face-to-face interactions with people, we become a force for love.

Chatting in the grocery store with the clerks, other customers, and the students who bagged my groceries all summer has opened my world to many new people. Same with the coffee shop, the library, and my women’s groups.

People want connection. As we share our joy for life, we inspire and encourage others. When we connect in real life, we remember that we are not alone.

Showing up authentically, open to the beauty of life, we become conduits for love. The energy flows to us and through us, outward to those around us.

Next step to becoming a force for love: get out!

Photo by Gabriel Sanchez on Unsplash

Go outside. At all times of day, in all sorts of weather, get outside. Leave behind the comforts of cooled air (or warmed air) and feel the expanse of life. (This only takes a few minutes.)

Stare at the clouds watch the sun rise, then go back later and watch it set. Stare at the stars.

See clouds, floating, forming, blooming across the sky. Watch rain drop and snow drift.

Notice the gorgeous moon, in her many phases. (Bonus points if you notice how you feel!)

We are but tiny specks of sand on a small blue marble, rolling through the velvet darkness of infinite space.

What makes us great? Our capacity for love.

In becoming a force for love we must each overcome a tremendous and treacherous obstacle.

The past. It lies behind, a snare waiting to trap us in the fierce teeth of its hungry maw.

Trauma taunts from lives once lived. Our trauma begs us to return for a visit. Just a quick trip, it promises, only to pull us into a years long spiral of anger, fear and loathing.

As a force for love, we must resist the urge to go back.

Our power lies in this present moment.

Living in what was brings misery, shame, regret, anger. Unfortunately, revisiting our sorrows will never heal them.

Loving ourselves, forgiving ourselves and forgiving those who’ve hurt us opens the door for our release.

Most people do the best they can, with what they have and what they know. When we know better, we do better.

We can’t fix the mistakes we made. We can make amends for the damage we’ve done and the pain we’ve caused. Then we must let go.

Just like forgiving those who have done us wrong, we must also forgive ourselves. Self-flagellation won’t heal the hurts.

The pains of the past are behind us.

The future lies hidden behind a veil, just out of focus.

This moment right now is filled with beauty, waiting for our attention.

Not everyone is ready. Nor willing.

I come to you because I know you. You are ready.

Come, let us go forth as a force for love.

Please take a moment to read this excellent article. At the end, you’ll find a beautiful reflection practice to help release past hurts.

The Day I Said "I Do," He Left To Take A Nap

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In service to the small, beautiful things of life, this week, show up as a force for love. Bring your energy to make things better. Let us know in the hive how you’re making a difference!