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You can
be the sunshine
for another person.
To me, this little quote from Thich Nhat Hanh encapsulates the essence of what it means and takes to be a force of love in this world.
It is so simple.
“Love one another.”
It is difficult.
We are invited to love not only the people we like or those in our circle of friends or those who can help us. The invitation is to treat anyone and everyone we meet along our way with love.
It takes effort.
Acting from a place of love requires great awareness and presence to those around us. Seeing beneath the “candy coating” of “I’m fine, it’s fine, everything is fine” that we all tend to wear takes energy, curiosity, and sensitivity.
It takes courage.
Reaching out to someone else requires us to shed our own “candy coating” and expose our soft center. To truly connect with another in their pain or joy, we must make ourselves vulnerable. We must be willing to share our own stories and experiences – painful or joyful.
It takes creativity.
To love one another – especially those we don’t know very well – we need to be able to imagine walking in their shoes. We need to be able to imagine what would be helpful were our positions reversed.
It takes generosity.
To respond to another from a place of love requires us to have open hearts and hands. We must be lavish (profligate even) with our time, our energy, and our resources. This type of response asks us to quell our natural instinct for self-preservation. Our desire to love must override our current situation – whatever it is. Whether we are busy, exhausted, or have long-awaited plans, love may ask us to set these aside.
It takes trust.
To give of ourselves even when we feel our own well running dry can take a real leap of faith. Once we do, we learn a huge, cosmic secret: it is in loving that we find ourselves awash in more love than we could imagine. It is in emptying that we open ourselves to being filled.
It is empowering.
Take a moment and really soak in the wonder that your little light has the power to brighten someone else’s life. “You can be the sunshine for another person.” Doing so doesn’t dim your light at all. In fact, sharing your light actually makes your light shine brighter and brighter. It is in giving ourselves away in love that we receive the riches of this wonderful life we’re here to share.
Thank you for reading and sharing my little musings on yoga, spirituality, and life. I appreciate your presence and comments very much!