Mind has determined, “Reason comes to this point and can go no further.”
Love does not even see the barrier. When Love crashes through mind’s familiar understanding of how things ought to be, mind can only cry out, “That’s a miracle!”
“No,” Love answers, “that’s just the way I am.”
~Emmanuel’s Book III
This passage makes me smile every time I read it. I picture Love with a little bit of understated swagger, like my grandson has when he makes a good play in basketball. After his dad calls out “Good job!” from the stands, my grandson acknowledges the accolade with a slight up nod, almost like he’s saying, “That’s just the way I play.”
Love crashes through mind’s barriers in big ways and small. A stranger rushes to pull someone from a burning car. A child waits to wave at the sanitation truck driver. A hunter lays down his gun to free a deer tangled in a wire fence, and then lets it go. A person pays for the embarrassed customer caught a little short at the cash register. A student defends and befriends a bullied classmate.
We read and watch videos about these random acts of kindness and heroism. Social media posts go viral. We marvel at the courage and compassion, like they are something remarkable, unusual enough to warrant reporting. I don’t disagree, and I appreciate these uplifting and inspiring stories, but I wonder if we over-sensationalize what is in essence our basic nature of goodness.
We come from Oneness. We are innately connected, and on some level we know this. In Star Trek, the Borg were neurologically integrated through the “hive mind,” often repeating the phrase, “Our thoughts are one.” In reality, we are integrated through Love. Our hearts are one. So we need not be amazed by Love’s expression, but instead we can celebrate and revel in its blessings, because that’s just the way Love is.
One love, one heart, one destiny. ~Bob Marley
I agree. I love seeing the “random acts of kindness” on social media posts, but I wonder if they are stories because we have allowed ourselves to assume that separateness, individual responsibility and privacy are the norm and the expectation. The simple act of covering the $3.52 short at the cash register suddenly becomes a heroic and counter-cultural act. May such Love and Compassion become our norm.
Well said, Brian. I used to tell my daughter that what she called the “high standards” of behavior I expected were really just the baseline of being a decent human being. Would that such behavior became the norm, as you said.
Love this. So true. So proud of us that these ordinary acts of kindness still resonate in warm hearts. It’s a difficult world we are now in, a difficult period. Yet still, love and goodness prevails. Bravo us. Thanks Galen. Beautifully expressed, as always.
Jean x
Thanks, Jean. I love your shout out to all of us!
Hi Galen,
That’s just the way we are. Love is our true nature. If we peel off the layers of our conditioning the essence of love shines through us…but oh how thick those layers seem at times! As has been said before, maybe the work of our lifetimes is getting back to where we started. Thanks as always, for the reminder. ~Kathy
Yes, Kathy, I agree that love is our true nature. Desmond Tutu wrote a book titled “Made for Goodness.” We might say made “of” goodness! So much of spiritual practice is not about doing better or being better — it’s about remembering who we are. Peeling off those layers, as you said, to reveal the pure light of love.