The feeling of longing, which I have so often tried to quiet with a glass of wine, piece of chocolate or a novel, is actually a healthy thing, I’ve come to realize. It means I’m alive, and able to communicate to myself. It’s like a baby letting us know something needs to happen by crying. A baby that never cried might suffer pain, or get a bad diaper rash, or even become malnourished, and no one notice!
Life is served by the voice that says, “Hey! You need to take care of something here!” Of course the challenge is to decipher the noise. Baby’s needs are fairly simple to figure out. (Though don’t ask a new mother about that!)
That inner cry may take years of investigation. But there are clues. When are the times it is quiet (from contentment, not fear)? Mine is blissfully quiet whenever I’m in love. It can be romantic love, or love for my kids, my grandkids, my friends, myself, my lilac or the peas lining up in the garden.
Being in love, loving sends all my focus on to the beloved (instead of my insecurities). And suddenly (sound of magic wand), I’m so much bigger than I was.
Love is expansive!
Being in love, I see the beauty everywhere.
Love cuts through the crap, and celebrates the rest!
Love pulls me further from the tiny seed of conception, into relationship with another, with the world, with the universe!
So how do I go about “falling in love?” No need. It’s everywhere. I just have to stop cutting myself off from loving. It’s that simple. (Just not easy.)
"Inner cry" - I like that. I've also been working on feeling things without numbing them first so that I can understand my inner workings without judging. I liked this post. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Keely H. | May 15, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Thank you, Lynn, for this reminder that longing and love bring us into connection, into our hearts, and into engagement with our world. Lovely post!
Posted by: Hiro Boga | May 25, 2009 at 09:19 AM