There’s this teen in the aikido class I assist in. He’s maybe 15 or 16. It’s very clear that he spends a lot of time in some sort of fantasy world, perhaps video games, animae, or something. He’s disturbed and acts out in very inappropriate and disrespectful ways. The sad thing is, I can see that he’s desperate for attention and love. And I really believe that if someone would take the time to find a way to connect with him, I think he would be a brilliant young man. I can see that he’s got some sort of gift, and that he has enormous potential for something. But, it’s not my job or even desire to be that person. It’s sad to me, because I really do see a tender, gifted person under all of his disrespect and bad behavior. Another thing that has struck me, is my brother. He is clearly head over cock in love with Laurie. It has turned him from a bitter, angry, pessimistic, negative man into a lovesick teenage BOY. And when I say boy, I mean boy. For such a ball scratching, beer drinking, tool having, car loving MAN that he is, he will sell his soul for what he perceives to be “the love of a good woman” Suddenly, he’s going to church, speaking poetically, and dare I say.... HAPPY? And of course I’m happy that he has found a way to be uplifted by life and be inspired to be a better human being. I’m just sad that he’s not able to find that inspiration in himself. That he doesn’t seem to have the awareness that that feeling he has is already alive in him despite the fact if there’s a “good woman” around to bring it out of him or not.
Love is truly a transformational force. And I am not immune to it’s sway. Nor am I so different from my brother in how far I will go to entice love to live in me. Nor was I so different from that teen in my aikido class when I was his age. Perhaps that’s why he sticks out to me, and why he gets under my skin.... in fact, I’m sure of it.
Ahhhh that’s nice, sitting in the sun, writing. I still miss sitting on my deck at my old apartment, but, as one might surmise, I do NOT miss the hippies. That’s alright, they’ve served their purpose, and I’m in my own, beautiful home. And still sitting in the sun writing. What as I talking about..... oh yes, the power of love. Unstoppable, irreverent and irrespective of status, intellect or profession, it has its way with us, and we submit to its every whimsy. Willingly I might add. And every so often unconsciously. We find ourselves waking in the middle of the night longing for another’s touch and comfort. The mightiest among us find ourselves helpless to defend ourselves against it. When love approaches, we find ourselves scrambling to rally our defenses in order to spare ourselves the failure or our dignity. What other force on Earth can make us do things we swore we would never do? What other desire can make us risk every single thing we own or perceive ourselves to be for it’s presence in our lives? None other than love can do this to us.
Love is the one thing that can makes us destroy all that stands between us and it. And we do so willingly. When all else fails to bring us out of despair, self loathing and deprecation, love hails it’s banner and we hear it’s cry for action. And for those of us who push it away as though it were an angry wasp, are those who desire it most. Why do we convince ourselves, and falsely so, that there is nothing about love that is worth risking our misery? Why are we so comfortable in the cold and dark absence of love? I think that is not that we are more comfortable in misery, but that we fear the loss of love once we have bathed in it’s glory. The unflinching confidence that courses through us when possessed by love is unconquerable and sees no boundaries whatsoever. And the fear that we are powerless without it, is what keeps us from allowing and embracing it. The sad thing is, is that it is merely the key to setting loose that power. A means to tap into that which is lies dormant within every single one of us. We ALL possess the power that love lets loose in us. It would not surface at all if it were not alive and teeming inside of us. I present this simple challenge: How would your life change if you simply allowed yourself to feel love for every living thing, object and situation? Do this for as long as you’d like, a day, a week, a month or for the rest of your life. How much splendor are are you willing to let into your life? How much beauty can you handle in your life? Do you accept this challenge? Let the magic happen, it wants to.
