Ripples #925: Love’s Shine!
Feb 13, 2017
PEBBLE
Love’s shine is strongest against a backdrop of hate. What we care about, and how we express our care, is most deeply felt when all is not “as it should be”. That’s when love matters most and moves most.
-Melanie Goble, written and shared by Melanie from Cal Poly SLO
BOULDER
To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life. But to feel affection that comes from those whom we do not know, from those unknown to us, who are watching over our sleep and solitude, over our dangers and our weaknesses – that is something still greater and more beautiful because it widens out the boundaries of our being and unites all living things.
-Pablo Neruda, shared by Brett in Madison, WI
PONDER
Unleashing a LOVE-themed Ripples around Valentine’s Day is one of our longest traditions, and it has always been important to me that we focus on the broadest concept of love that allows us to move beyond romance and celebrate the love that exists among friends, family, colleagues, neighbors…and even beyond humans to include pets, nature, etc. We’ve also made an extra effort to encourage self-love as a powerful healing force directed within and toward your own precious spirit.
In these tumultuous times, I think it is crucial that we extend our idea of love even further. I’m ready to embrace a love so expansive that it encapsulates humanity and reminds us that we really are all connected to each other, and I hope you’re ready for that as well. I truly believe that at least part of the solution for our current difficulties is to cultivate and strengthen the love we feel for each other, particularly towards those with whom we struggle to understand and agree.
I’m not necessarily talking about liking or understanding or accepting or agreeing or forgiving (although I do happen to think our society improves whenever we experiment a bit with these as well); instead, I’m curious whether small doses of compassion, empathy and patience, shared mindfully in the right direction at the right time, might help us all feel better, think more clearly, and identify opportunities for constructive conversations and connections. While it cannot and should not eliminate the important and necessary conflict we’re experiencing in our world right now, I believe LOVE’S SHINE could help us illuminate a path forward, and might just end up saving us all.
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
p.s. Do you know about TEAM RIPPLES, our official Facebook Group? We keep a special archive there containing 18 years worth of LOVE-themed quotes. You may also enjoy something we posted there a few weeks ago called “The Egg,” a short story by Andy Weir (who wrote The Martian). It is a powerful story that has helped me extend my sense of connectedness, and I recommend it highly, even as I add the caveat that it needs to be read with an open mind and heart since it may challenge as well as comfort.
Team Ripples: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeamRipples/
Love Quotes: https://www.facebook.com/notes/10150551063301662
The Egg: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeamRipples/permalink/10154272305671662/
Andy Weir: http://www.galactanet.com/oneoff/theegg_mod.html