Love Me Tender

It seems everywhere I turn there are either stories of the destruction of animal habitats or people losing their homes due to the economy. It is hard to hear these stories and not feel helpless. But loving each other and the earth, one head of hair at a time, one blade of grass at a time, is always the one thing that each of us can do to contribute to the betterment of our world.

When we love each other, tenderly, we tap into a greater life force that holds all of life. When we love each other, tenderly, we increase the presence of love in another's life, and in our own. Everyone's life force increases. Conversely, when we view each other with doubt and suspicion -- including the people in our own inner circles -- or when we repeat old stories and thus recreate old patterns, we not only dampen down the life force of others, but that of our own as well.
To trust that this is true requires some guts! It requires stepping out from your comfort zone and allowing yourself to be vulnerable. You must, as my morning Yogi tea bag suggests, allow your head to bow to your heart. This is life upside down. Instead of doing what most people do -- running around protecting yourself from perceived threats --you take a chance on greater love.

Why take a chance? Fundamentally, we are MADE of love, so when we honor what we are made of, our reality changes. It may not change all at once, but it changes slowly, so that we can adapt. We may find that we feel more bouyant. Or that the people in our lives show up with more openness, reflecting our own willingness to be open. We may find new opportunities showing up that we weren't even expecting.

Old patterns are addictive because they are comfortable and involve no risk. This is called the human condition. To undo this addiction we must find something new that feeds us. Something that makes it worth giving up the old stories we carry around about ourselves and others and our world.

How do we love each other tenderly? Invite someone out for tea; buy a pot of flowers for a neighbor; speak some kind words to the person behind the check-out counter. If you are feeling too empty to do even that, then treat yourself to a bath; meditate on the perfection of your toes; contemplate who you are apart from people and culture. We are made of love. Love is the life force that we are made of. Doubt is the only thing getting in the way!