“Catapult yourself high…pull yourself further than you’ve ever been, and you will see that love is all there is.” (Jean-Pierre “Raven” Gregoire, 2014 – Linkedin)
In nature we see love reflected in the serenity and variety of what is ‘possibility.’ It is said that in the other dimensions (some call it heaven), we find a most glorious version of nature – more vibrant and exquisite…. It has been communicated to me that my beloved mother [who passed on January 15] and my cherished father [who passed on December 1 – both this year], are in a beautiful, blissful garden. Jokingly I call it a perpetual cocktail hour. We in the family feel my mother’s nurturing touch and my father’s mantle of protection. My experience of this is so peaceful and beautiful…
Last Friday, on a cold morning in New York, I walked home from my auto mechanic’s shop and noticed books on the sidewalk, free to take. Leo Buscaglia’s “Living, Loving and Learning” caught my eye (Charles B. Slack, NJ, 1982). I had chosen the topic of love; how timely that this text appeared on my path! In the seventies, Buscaglia gave courses on ‘love’ at the University of Southern California. He was an affectionate, likeable man who hugged more than anyone I know about, except for Amma, the Hindu spiritual healer who comes to New York each year to hug all who present themselves.
Also on Friday, Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., tweeted “Even a person who is closed to love because of previous pain will respond positively to compassion.” Yes, I thought. Let’s remember that I define love and compassion as inseparable: “The analogy of the white and yolk of the egg helps. The yolk can be separated from the white, yet they have not been created autonomously. One would not exist without the other even though they can be described independently. The soul mate of love is compassion. The marriage of the two is essential, as we cannot live without these!” (Marsanico 2013).
We see this sentiment from parent to child; between lovers; in people hugging, sharing and collaborating; in tears, sweetness; small acts of loving-kindness (Dalai Lama). The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in one of his famous speeches, said that he wanted to be remembered, not for the Nobel Peace Prize he was awarded, but for the love that he expressed and demonstrated.
Love is that energy which is our spiritual and emotional connective tissue. Love is the feeling, which moves and inspires us as ‘humans being.’ Love touches and reveals our best qualities. Poets speak of love and we are uplifted by love. Many of us have observed, and been inspired by those who are filled with love.
Feeling love rests on a foundation of our openness to being vulnerable, to being emotionally touched by another… When we feel love, it means that we have decided to be vulnerable in the way we look within, seeing our self clearly. We feel love in our heart BIG TIME, but love also exists in each and every cell of our body, in the multidimensional spaces, which scientists will begin to observe and measure. Receptors are present and poised to receive love, and when we are open to these phenomena, we feel it. I feel it…
And, when we feel loved, we feel inspired and motivated into our highest abilities. Here,
with an open heart, we feel spectacularly as we are touched by others in our daily interactions. I have written, emailed and tweeted (#LMarsanico) “Reaching into our compassionate heart segues into our highest possibilities.” So much awaits our readiness to face the journey within…
By knowing and loving myself my energy reflects outward to all of us. I’ll continue to share a smile, a gesture; give words of encouragement and resources to those I encounter. So I ask myself today: “Have I loved myself and others sufficiently as I make my way?” This is a work in progress. If I miss the mark, I know I’ll have many opportunities to begin anew, to demonstrate this feeling.
From my heart to yours, I wish you a Happy/Merry Holiday, and an abundance of love. I am taking a respite, and so the next blog post will be uploaded on January 19, Dr. King’s birthday.
Speak to you next year…
Linda
