Do you sometimes wish there was more love in your world and even our collective world? Do you have a practice in your life that holds you steady in the embrace of love, through all the highs and lows of life? Keep reading and discover ways to stay connected to the feelings of love in your life.
My Story
I was flying home from an adventure in Montana and Yellowstone National Park with a friend. At the last minute, our flight reservation and seat assignments were changed to the very back of the plane.
We found ourselves hunkered in tightly with a very bright and articulate 93-year-old man, who had recently lost his wife of 65 years. He shared his story, even though he faced the challenges of background noise and temperamental hearing aids.
Frank showed us a copy of his wife’s obituary, which had been kept safely in one of the books brought for reading; possibly the novel kept her presence at his fingertips.
When Frank spoke of his wife, Elana, he laughed often, sharing the ups and downs of life, love, and relationships. His hands moved through the air in a motion that implied all of their highs and lows.
At the very end of our flight, Frank let us know he had a spiritual experience. Three days after his wife passed, she came to him and let him know she was no longer in pain. Elana didn’t have a body; she was only a spirit and sent her love.
The idea of a spirit with no body was a new concept to Frank. I love that he shared this with us. He also said one of the most beautiful things he did was honoring his wife with a small celebration of their love and life together.
Frank talked about volleyball, pickleball, and a certain near the end of his life. In a serious moment, my friend and I were reminded to be kind to each other. I think we both needed to hear this.
At the gate, a young airport employee offered to get Frank a wheelchair to help him get to baggage claim. This simple act of kindness was not lost on me; I was reminded of the potential for love in every moment.
I am grateful for the opportunity to sit next to Frank and learn about the love of his life. Of course, this seating assignment was no coincidence; it was just what I needed.
How To Practice Love in Your World
There are many ways to experience love in our world. The love we feel for our children is so strong that we are willing to sacrifice everything for their well-being and safety. The amazing feeling of being in love with a partner and sharing both the joys and challenges of life with them. The feeling of love when we are in nature, and our hearts are open to the overwhelming experience of all that is.
Genuine acts of kindness are expressions of love. Having gratitude for life is a way of experiencing and lovingly connecting with others, or the Universe at large.
We all have different stories of when our hearts opened, and we experienced an expansive feeling that words could not express. This is love.
So how do we stay connected with love when it seems like everything we see, even love, is falling apart?
- Taking the time to remember and connect with the beautiful experiences and people from your past keeps love intact in our world.
- Spending time in nature is a great way to allow troubling thoughts to fall away and be replaced by open-hearted feelings.
- Do what feels good and brings you joy; and then do more of it! Your happiness and love of life expand and touch others, often in ways you will never know.
Notice kind acts and other forms of love that show up in your life. See the good in the world. Practice acts of kindness
- Intimate touch is a gentle and nurturing way to establish love. Holding hands and giving hugs anchors us in love.
- Sharing compassion with ourselves and the world is a beautiful and tender way of allowing love to fill the empty spaces in our hearts. Reminding ourselves to allow life and those we love to evolve and transform without expectations is at times challenging, but certainly helps love thrive in our world.
- Stay open-minded, even with the things we don’t understand. This requires us to let go of what is right versus wrong. We often see people and even the world in a limited way that highlights what we love versus what we don’t understand. Allowing a broader perspective of life’s possibilities provides a space for love to expand.
- Emotional intimacy with the important people in your life strengthens love. Be intentional and honor the love in your life.
There are times when we love a person or are grateful for an experience, but for various reasons, it is time to honor this love from afar. Finding gratitude for what was helps love stay in our world.
Loving is a much simpler way to move through life than the opposite way, where fearful thoughts and feelings are tangled up and heavy in our hearts, actions, and minds.
Allowing love to hold us steady through the highs and lows of life takes practice and intentionality, but the gains are immeasurable. The magic of life combined with love is a sacred experience. May we all recognize and celebrate the ways love shows up for each of us.
Thank you for reading this blog; may we all experience kindness and evolve in love.
Photo by Kathryn Hilznitson
By Polly Wirum
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