Serve up some love

Dear readers,
For those of you overseas, we had another tragedy in the United States yesterday.  In a small town of approximately 2,000 people in Texas, a fertilizer plant blew up.  It had the force of an earthquake.  Many people were killed, including volunteer fire fighters.  They don't know how many are dead yet.  Hundreds more have been injured.  Peoples' homes were destroyed, as was a nursing home.   In the wake of the mayhem in Boston on Monday, it almost seems impossible that something so tragic happen so soon.

As terrible as these events are, something happens in their wake that reminds us of our essence and the energy of support we all share: there is always an outpouring of love.  Tonight in West, the town in Texas that suffered the tragedy, neighbors were helping each other dig out of the rubble.   People got together and made a barbecue supper to feed anyone who was hungry.  By tomorrow, West will undoubtedly start to see good souls from neighboring towns and states who come to town strictly to help in any way they can.  And our nation is holding them in our hearts and prayers.

Back in Boston, a story has emerged of a man named Terry who saw a runner injured by the blasts.  Instead of turning away, he went and sat by her and held her hand until help arrived.  He said he felt a spiritual connection to her.  I think it was love--not the romantic kind, but rather, the kind that we are made of.

The thing is, tragedies make us vulnerable.  And when we are vulnerable, all the reasons why we resist love disappear.  But this begs the question:  why do we need trouble to show what we are truly made of and connect like this?

Imagine a world where anyone, any time could see the light in or around another.  If you believed you had a spiritual connection with every person you met, would you treat them differently?  And would you be different?  Would you still want to hide your light and love from strangers or casual acquaintances until something terrible happened?

We give our love to our family and friends, but often with expectations and conditions.  When trouble strikes, many of those conditions disappear.  We just give, without concern of reciprocity.  It just feels good to do so.  So why don't we feel just as good offering love under ordinary conditions?

So send your love to Boston.  Send it to West, Texas.  But also give it to the person who serves you your coffee at the local cafe.  Serve it to those you pass on the highway on your way to work.  Open your heart to your coworkers.  Give it to yourself when you look in the mirror.  Do not worry that you'll give all your love away and be left with none; doing this simply makes you a magnet to receive and give more.

Love is a gift on bad days, but it is also a gift on good ones.  Get your practice on the latter, and when the former comes, you'll be ready to help someone else out of their darkness.

Love,
EL