“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31

It was a rough morning during a rough week filled with deadlines, head colds, busyness and exhaustion. My son Hunter and I walked outside to my car as the fierce, winter breeze blasted our faces. Sighing, I noticed my car windows covered in ice. With bone-chilled hands, I began scraping. Hunter yelled, “Wait! Don’t touch my window!” Curious, I walked over to him. Carved in the glistening ice was a giant, squiggly heart. “Momma, I made a heart for you,” said Hunter with a bright smile. Instantly, my stress and worries melted away as this precious artwork warmed my soul. It was like magic. Now nothing could ruin my day. How could it? I had all I needed — love.

The greatest power in the world is love. Not greed, fear, anger or jealously, but simply love. It’s so powerful and mystical that only God knows its full potential. We were made to learn how to love because God is love. And because love comes from God, all other powers pale in comparison.

Love is the secret sauce for transformation. It has the ability to transform your heart from dark to light healing deeply within your soul. You’ll become more peaceful, kind and compassionate. All of us are interconnected beating from the same heart. When you love, you feel this connection deep in your core creating harmony within yourself and towards others.

Babies and small children amaze me. When infants enter this world, they instantly know how to love. It’s innate in their little being. The first time I held my two boys, I’ll never forget the feeling of their sweet love for me. But somewhere along the way, our capacity for love diminishes and strict boundaries are drawn.

• You were bullied on the playground at school.
• A teacher told you weren’t smart enough and would never succeed.
• Your parents yelled at you making you feel unwanted and misunderstood.
• You failed miserably at your romantic relationships.
• A friend lied to you and betrayed your trust.
• Someone you loved died leaving you alone.
• You were abused or abandoned making you feel like a victim.

Maybe it was another tragic event that shut you down closing your heart. If that’s true, I am deeply sorry. You have suffered. I have suffered. We all have suffered. But please, don’t let it stop you from experiencing joy, peace and happiness.

Drink from the medicine of love, even if it’s just a sip. Let that sip nourish your heart. Then slowly take another sip, then another, and keep drinking one sip at a time until your entire body and soul is filled with light and love.

And yes, I know this love stuff is easier said than done. I struggle with it too. So here are some helpful ways to add more love into your life.

Let love be your dominant life value.
Many people put other values first such as respect, ambition, equality, innovativeness, teamwork, excellence, education, career, enjoyment and more. All of these are worthwhile, but love should always come first. If love is your guide, then all other values and actions followed will be motivated by integrity and compassion.

Help someone.
Volunteering or helping a friend in need brings joy and healing. Alleviating someone else’s pain alleviates your pain creating a feeling of oneness.

Fill your life with positive things.
Stay away from the news, violent movies, or even worse, reality shows. Instead, watch a beautiful sunset, read an inspiring book, play with your kids, listen to classical music or be with loving people.

Forgive.
Free yourself with forgiveness. It opens your heart allowing the light to shine through again. Don’t let anyone who has hurt you in the past take this gift from you.

Smile.
Even when you don’t feel like it, smile. It’s amazing how effective it is. When you smile it makes other people feel happy which in return, makes you feel happy.

Today, choose love. Open up your heart and learn to love God, yourself, your family and everyone around you. You deserve to feel and give love. With this magical power, your life will be filled with wonder and beauty leading to peace, healing and wholeness. And that, my friend, makes a life worth living.

Frequently, I listen to Jonathan Field’s podcast, Good Life Project. He interviews people from all walks of life making a contribution to the world. At the end of each interview, he asks his guests the same question, “ What does it mean to live a good life?” Most answers are detailed and insightful. But if I were on his show (hopefully one day I will) and Jonathan asked me the same question, my answer would simply be…

“Love.”

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need,
not more.” ― Mother Teresa

Standing in front of the sink under the kitchen window, I was concerned if the refinance on my house would be approved. Worried thoughts accompanied by various outcomes played over and over again in my head. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if this doesn’t happen? The flow of thoughts relentlessly kept slithering their way into my brain.

Suddenly, I felt warm, sudsy water caressing my wet hands and fingers. I noticed my shoulders were constricted and tense. My clenched face held the space for a wire tight jaw. There was a smooth, round bowl in my hand, and a soaked washcloth in the other.

Then I realized the truth. I was washing my dishes! I mean, really? Ugh, how embarrassing! I was so stuck on the mental chatter train that I was oblivious to what I was doing. Distracted and disconnected, I was not feeling myself washing dishes, and my bodily tension. In fact, I was not feeling my life at all.

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“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis

A difficult reality to face is that all experiences, no matter how much you care about them, come to an end. Endings can cause sadness and pain with periods of grief, mourning and despair. It’s sad when a part of your life ends no matter what the situation was. However, endings don’t enter alone. They are like a mother going through hard labor giving birth to a beautiful, new life. This newborn life is called Beginnings. Always followed by an ending, a beginning fills you with excitement, wonder and adventure. Where a road ends, a new road begins. When a door closes, a new door appears. But to welcome the new, you must let go of what you know.

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