Light of Love...

The light of love shines more brightly than the sun...opening dark spaces, illuminating the hidden recesses of shame, guilt, remorse...dissolving, obliterating and scattering them to the four corners of the earth. 'As far as the East is from the West, so God has removed our transgressions from us...' Psalm 103:12. Joy comes in the morning as we renew our path, step out in faith and move forward...leaving behind those things that hinder us, belay our journey, create stumbling blocks to trip and plummet our spirits into the depths of despair. We rise each morning to new beginnings, new fervour for hopes, dreams, goals...we were not created for grief, for humiliations, for degradations...oh no dear hearts we were created to give praise, to shout and declare aloud our passions and dreams. Created with an unquenchable, unbreakable spirit... with the drive to achieve...with artistry, with grace, with talents given to each one of us. Don't let anyone tell you, you are useless...meant for nothing and no one...lies my friends....you each have something to give, something precious within you meant only for you....you are unique, lovely and necessary.

This week was a study in lessons, humility and grace...today I think only of how to heal enough to love others as much as I am loved...to give out kindnesses as I've been blessed with...to never leave (as an old Italian man imparted to his granddaughter) a room without imparting some sort of kindness, some sort of compassionate gesture. Leave a mark wherever your feet carry you...wherever your heart leads you...it may be as small a thing as holding open a door for that tiny elderly woman slowly making her way, a wide open smile for the child looking up at you in wonder for the freckles covering your arms and legs....

Listen dear friends...the gift of love in return comes in a hundred fold...you will walk on wings of angels treading across clouds of gossamer silk. Ten feet tall and bulletproof... the resulting feeling is a high unlike any other and will carry you through the toughest times, the lowest moments. To this day, in my low times I recall a sick little girl who visited the walk-in clinic while I worked there (15 years ago)...after a short visit and ushering her mother and her into a room and their subsequent departure, that tiny little girl came running back to plant a kiss on my cheek and hug me so tight my heart melted to the floor. I often wonder where that young child is and if her mother or her knew exactly how precious those moments were for me. And I thank God, for His loving kindness...for showing in the real, love...grace...compassion...in so many ways and so many moments it would take pages to recount them all.

You, my friends, are loved without limitation...without restriction...always. Rise now and walk out your journey....knowing you are loved without reason, without borders or limits...you, where you are, right now. Stand tall, speak softly and live...