The longer I live, the more deeply I learn that love — whether we call it friendship or family or romance — is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light. ~ Maria Popova
Today’s invitation is simple on the surface but can feel profound in practice: Choose one person in your life to be the focus of your love today. You might choose a family member or close friend – someone you always love but toward whom you want to be more intentionally loving today. Or you might choose someone beyond your inner circle – someone you’ve meant to call, a neighbor who could use support, a colleague who is important to you. This of course doesn’t preclude shining your love on many, only that there’s one particular person who will receive a bit of your extra care and love today.
Begin by simply bringing this person to mind and holding them in your thoughts with loving-kindness. From there, set an intention to shine your love on them throughout the day. What will this look like? Will it include a tangible gesture like a card of appreciation? Or will it center on how you listen, respond, and are present to this person – without needing to say anything to them about what you’re up to! As you go about your day, do so without expectation. How does it feel to you to shine your love on another with focused intention?
Here are a few ideas for today’s practice:
- Decide that you’re going to listen generously to this person throughout the day
- Center your prayer or meditation on goodwill toward this person
- Surprise someone with a phone call
- Send one of our beautiful, free e-cards
- Put a simple card or note in the mail
Share Your Reflection: Whether you shine your love with your presence and energy, through your actions, or both – we welcome your reflections below.
Deepening Resource: Questions to Consider When Waking, A Poem by Bernadette Miller
Image: Each day of our Grateful for Love practice includes an image of love as expressed through street art. Today’s Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash
Enjoy the full seven-day Grateful for Love practice.
Beautiful
This is a new poem to me; thank you, Hugh. How beautiful.
I really needed this prompt today – as I really need to let someone know I love them unconditionally. They already know I love them – but I need to focus on the ‘unconditional’ part – and they need to know and feel that my love is unconditional. I will work on understanding, compassion, acceptance, and patience.