Photo by Alexis M.

Last Friday, we celebrated my grandson’s first birthday. Along with his parents, grandparents, family and friends, Love was there.

I watch my daughter and son-in-love as they parent him and I stand in awe. Everything about him and his life is grounded in Love.

There is no end to it. No beginning. There is only Love.

I try to reach back into my own life and wonder, was Love always present?

Beyond the life-happenings, the mis-steps and wrong directions. The hurts and pains and ups and downs, was I so blessed by Love?

There is only one answer. Yes.

No matter our human condition, no matter the circumstances of our birth, the environments in which we grew up, all our lives are blessed by Love.

It is always present. Without beginning or end.

It does not judge our human condition. It does not withdraw itself or pervert its presence because of who we are or what we do. Love is Love and Love is always Present.

I am reminded of an exercise on self-love.

No matter what is happening, self-love creates space to name what you are feeling by acknowledging its presence and to remember, no matter what feeling is running through you in this moment, so is Love.

The exercise begins with a statement of what emotion is present without being that emotion. Rather than, I am angry, the statement is, Anger is present and then ending with an affirmation to Love.  For example:

Anger is present. So is Love.
Fear is here. So is Love.
Disappointment is present. So is Love.
Sadness is here. So is Love.

It’s important to acknowledge the feelings, without owning them or judging them, and then to acknowledge what else is present, always and forever. Love.  In that space, grace descends and acceptance expands to embrace all of you, darkness and light, yin and yang, beauty and the beast, in Love.

Love doesn’t need us to be anything other than how we are in each moment. And if in that moment anger is present, Love accepts its presence without fear of it being present forever. Love knows, all things pass, all things change except that which is always present, always here. Love.

Without beginning or end. Love is always here.

I spent five days with my grandson. it was a time to celebrate. To cherish. To savour. It was, as it always is, a time to Love.

Namaste.