Love is the most radical and revolutionary force, the one that compels us to care for the world as a living body of which we are a part.

Teilhard de Chardin

Welcome to Day One of Awaken Your Revolutionary Spirit

If you spend much time with the news these days, there’s a distinct possibility you find yourself overwhelmed by the struggles of the world. There’s legitimate cause for grave concern — from violence to climate crises to systemic injustices. And for the first time in the history of humans, we can learn in real time what’s happening around the globe. Technology’s capacity to track and report the news has far outpaced the human heart’s ability to metabolize and respond to it. 

One consequence of this quality and quantity of information is a feeling of helplessness or numbness. You may genuinely feel that you don’t know how to make a difference; you may even turn away. And while there are plenty of good reasons to be discerning about the time and energy you give to the news, living gratefully calls on each of us to stay engaged and present to the world’s sorrows.

But here’s the wonderful paradox: Awakening your revolutionary spirit depends on remembering what you love and cherish about the world. It’s this fierce love that gives us the capacity to face what’s difficult; it’s this fierce love that can move us from paralysis to action. The late U.S. Congressman John Lewis talked about the Civil Rights Movement as a work of love, as love in action. Along with other visionaries, he reminded us that love is the fertile ground on which positive social change can flourish. 

To have a revolutionary spirit is to keep alive a core belief in the possibility of significant positive change in our individual and collective lives. This starts with remembering your wild love for the world.

Today’s Practice: Love in Action

Today’s practice invites you to remember, name, and act on one aspect of your love for the world. Let your love guide the way out of overwhelm, fear, or complacency. 

Set the stage by watching this beautiful 3-minute animation, created by SALT, that tells the story of the 1969 Apollo mission and humans’ first view of the earth from space. As you’re watching, consider what you most love among the many extraordinary things that exist in the world — from people to principles, natural beauty to magnificent human creations.

Step One: Make a 5-Minute Love List

Set a timer for five minutes. Without overthinking, make a list of things you love about the world. To get started, you might divide your page into four categories:

  • Human Creations & Institutions (music, libraries, democracy!)
  • The Natural World (oceans, fireflies, parks!)
  • People & Relationships (visionary leaders, mentors, friends!)
  • Other Glorious Things (silence, laughter, moonlight, justice!)

Step Two: Identify & Give Thanks

  • When the timer goes off, review your list and identify one thing you love that is currently at risk and that needs tending or protecting. 
  • Take a few moments to consider all the ways you appreciate and value this particular thing, idea, or person. How is your life and the life of those you love made better because of the existence and future of this particular thing? Give thanks.

Step Three: Let Love Lead to Action

  • From this place of gratitude, ask yourself: What is one loving action I can take today to nourish or protect what I care about? Are you drawn to activism, like calling an elected official or offering financial support? Or more inclined to contribute through your daily encounters, like listening or showing compassion? 
  • Among the many things you may feel called to do, the goal here is to choose one action you can complete today. Keep it simple, and don’t worry about doing it perfectly.

Step Four: Reflect & Post

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us, “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement… The stars in the sky, the miracle of life, the beauty of the world — these should evoke in us not only awe but a deep sense of responsibility… To marvel is to be moved to stewardship.”

  • In what ways does remembering what you love in the world move you to stewardship? 
  • Post your list of what you love somewhere you can see it and return to it throughout the Pathway.

Scroll to the bottom of the page (or click here) to find the Community Conversation space where we invite you to share your reflections about today’s practice.

Deepening Resource

Globally revered for his transformational role in the Civil Rights Movement, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in — and argued for — the place of love in the fight for justice. In a 1967 speech entitled “Where Do We Go From Here?,” Dr. King spoke words that continue to resonate and inspire today: “One of the greatest problems of history is that the concepts of love and power are usually contrasted as polar opposites. Love is identified with a resignation of power and power with a denial of love. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

MLK Video on the Power of Love

Research Highlight

Did you know that practicing gratitude actually changes the neural pathways in our brains? A specific example of what this looks like comes out of the research from Dr. Christina Karns at the University of Oregon. Using MRI studies, Dr. Karns and her team discovered that gratitude increases our enjoyment of giving to others. They could see this on the MRIs. Take a moment to consider the possible implications in light of today’s practice: If we make time to remember what we love about the world and to give thanks for it, it can make it even more appealing and enjoyable to be generous toward others and to take action on behalf of what we cherish.

Photo by Grant Ritchie


Pathways