Healing Love
Everybody heals with love
Listening today to this song we sing together so often, I was struck by the lyric, “everybody heals with love”. Seems these days that the amount of love it would take to heal all the brokenness in our world is way more love than anybody has on hand. But that’s actually not true. At the very least, we each have enough love on any given day to practice for 60 seconds.
Everybody knows the love; everybody holds the love
I want to strongly encourage you to begin with you. Right now. Why? Because you matter. Because you’re also hurting. And because, no matter how committed you are to radical compassion and social justice activism, it’s impossible to pour from an empty cup.
Oh, oh, oh, just let the love, love, love begin
How? Slow down. Place your hand over your heart. With kindness, note what you’re feeling, either the emotions or physical sensations, and simply say, “This is a moment of suffering.” Next, imagine how connected you are: to those you love, to your community, to the world. Say, “I am not alone.” Finally, with an attitude of curiosity and gentleness, consider what you most need right now. What could ease your suffering? Think small: a snack, a nap, a walk, a hug? Make a plan to get it. Say, “May I give and receive kindness.”
Everybody, everybody wants to be loved
As I type this devotional, my anxious, cranky, senior cat has hopped onto my lap. I’ve already provided love to myself with the above practice, so instead of responding to him with my own anxious crankiness, I am able to lovingly stroke his silky fur; we both are soothed. His deep purrs vibrate peace and healing not only into his cells, but also into mine. Our microcosm of mutuality prompts me to ponder this truth: we are all so profoundly connected that loving one soul, even my own, births ripples of love into the world that reach ever outward. And then, so energized, my capacity expands to love another and another and yet another still. Loving. Being loved. It’s our birthright. And there is indeed enough.
Everybody, everybody wants to love
Oh Lord of all, guide us to love in big and small ways, resourced by your great love and our own tender self-care and our precious wider communities of caring, that we might be peace, and wage peace, and love one another. Every single other. Amen.
Roxanne is wife to Brian, mom to Truman and Everett, bonus mom to Andy, Amberlee + Greggory, Alli + Matthew, and Anna, Grammie to Ava Kate, and human servant to three pampered house cats. She is fascinated by the science of trauma, resilience, and healing. She loves music, autumn, yoga, rituals, hugs, reading, adventures, belly laughs, and countless beings, human and otherwise.