Love & Wisdom

Every one who has visited The Children’s Project, (a home school for children from disadvantaged backgrounds situated in Andhra Pradesh, India) has undoubtedly been touched by an experience of love and compassion. Perhaps we have felt the warmth of a loving embrace, the freedom of childish joy expressed without reservation, or the beauty of light in a child’s eyes. When we leave, we feel different. Perhaps a little lighter, freer, or maybe even more self-confident. We may wonder what it was that happened in those undefined moments of beauty that have healed some part of ourselves.

Sometimes this expansion requires us to let go of old emotional habits and thought patterns. As I’m sure we have all experienced in our lives, letting go can be kind of like quitting smoking or saying goodbye to an old friend who never treated us well but was still familiar and comfortable. Initially there may be dis-ease but then we wonder how we could have ever lived without love in the first place!

To the extent that we love ourselves, we can be agents of healing in our own families and societies. When we are open to and receptive to love, we give others permission to share their love. Similarly when we share love, we give others permission to love themselves.