I was recently reminded of Rilke’s wise words from Letters to a Young Poet: “It is also good to love: because love is difficult. For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation.” ~7th Letter
Of late, I have been riding the roller coaster of optimism, negativity, hope, fear, joy, sadness, awakened heart, numbness, and everything in between. We are faced with a powerful and unmatched challenge with this new administration. As if the planet weren’t already in peril. As if human rights weren’t already stomped on in many parts of the world (including our own) on a regular basis. As if animals and plants weren’t already dying off at alarming rates (6th mass extinction). As if the human condition wasn’t already in a hot mess as a result of our proclivities for the poisons of greed, hatred and delusion and the many disguises they wear.
As trite as it might sound, the place I land, again and again, is that all that is left for us to do is Love, in whatever form that takes. Working hard on bringing authenticity and understanding to our relationships. Doubling down in our efforts to own our part, see the other side, refrain from judgment, forgive. Expanding our heart’s capacity to feel the suffering of the world so we may proportionally super-charge our compassion and understand deeply the necessity of our awakening, involvement and action. Opening our minds to include everyone. Loving others as we wish to be loved.
Love IS often difficult. But so are many other challenges we take on, difficulties we surmount, obstacles we hurdle, lessons we integrate, traumas we survive, shit storms we recover from. So couldn’t we commit, this year, to take on Love as our simplest, most basic intention? The kind of unconditional love Martin Luther King, Jr, and so many other of our spiritual and human rights leaders spoke and speak of so eloquently, consistently, and urgently? The kind of Revolutionary Love that stands strong in the face of violence and hatred and negativity and has the power, the will and the mandate to transform, heal and evolve us all?
I hope to share some time and space with you this year, with this as our common intention: To love like our lives depend on it. Because they do. And to love like there IS a tomorrow. Because there is.