PATHWAY TO JOY AND HEALING

People speak regularly of love in the spiritual community.  Love is not words we say, but in the face of difficulty and fear, we continue to love others.  It is facing these difficulties and fears through our courage, yet we still continue to love those in our lives.  We assure those we love that in spite of our difficulties and fears, we still love them.  Today, I am learning how to do just this.

I was driving back from lunch with a friend in her car.  As she was driving, she was not paying attention to the road and almost ran into an oncoming car.  I was very frightened by the near miss of hitting another car, and did not want to be injured.  In the past, I would have reprimanded her for her carelessness.  This time, I cautioned her to be careful, but told her that I love her and want her to be safe.  I assured her that although I felt real danger that I still love her.  I think this made her feel better about her carelessness, and made her feel less guilty.

Sometimes, even in the face of real danger and fear, we can make our point without hurting those we love.  We tell them that we love them, and want the best for them and for us.  Love is one of those emotions that has less to do with what we want or need, and more to do with how we make others feel without dishonesty or passivity.  I am learning how to love others everyday now.  May you find love through your courage. (Copyright 2015 Living Wide Awake with All Rights Reserved)