Tuesday 29 April 2014

Expressions of Love

  Oh, but how life can have its way with you. Pitching a variety of gusty challenges from the mound at a hundred miles an hour. Some suggest the secret to success is to take a stance and swing at the good stuff. Make contact, draw or strike, this is life.  But what do you do when you always seem to strike out?  What happens when you feel you are loosing? What then, when simply showing up isn't enough? When you are sure that you have nothing left and you fear you are drowning, you get right back up on your feet, dust yourself off and make a decision to give it everything you've got.  Decide to be all in.

   I have been really struggling and falling back into old destructive patterns at a rapid pace.  I found myself frantic, desperately sifting through the tools that I know I can rely on to keep me on track.  The things that usually keep me centered and healthy seemed to be just out of reach. I found myself in the eye of a storm of chaos.  I was having difficulty seeing outside of this old and unwanted familiar cycle I was being sucked back into.  A backdraft of negativity seemed to be closing in on me.  I have been praying non-stop.  Surrendering, only to surrender again. And it hit me today while I was driving.  I glanced over at a grown man smiling and laughing and rolling on the grass with his dog. And just like that, I was drawn into their moment. A stolen glimpse of pure love.  And that was it!  I knew that my mission for this day was to find expressions of love. Stay on task and dig deep. Expressions of love is love in action and it is EVERYWHERE.  Once I shifted my focus and opened my eyes, my heart followed.  I saw friends walking and laughing. I witnessed a man watching the sunset. I felt gratitude for the love from a patient friend and time offered to me from my sister.  I listened to birds singing and I couldn't help but to laugh as church bells rang in the distance.   When it seems like all forces are working against you, love.  Love nourishes and feeds our soul. Love is medicine. Open your eyes and see it.  Pick it up. Ingest it.  Invest it. Trust in it. Believe in it.
 When all else fails look for love.  Then allow love into your life. It will flourish and see you through your darkest hour. Love will help you face your fiercest opponents.   Live life as though all you have is love and the people you share it with.  Make the choice to nourish these relationships and embrace loves wealth.  Let that curve ball stare you down, then laugh at its attempted manipulation. You are love. Love is stronger than darkness, stronger than personal will and when you rely on it, you will make contact every time. Know this and you become unsinkable, undefeated. Love, did you leave it on the field today?