I think this is something we all know – intuitively: love has the ability to heal. In my post The Measure of Love, I referenced the book Hold Me Tight. In it, the author talks about the 7 conversations partners need to have and the vulnerability they need to share. The book is entirely about the transformative power of love to heal and forgive past injuries. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and peace activist writes frequently on the topic of loving oneself and learning to love another – he also ties love to the ability to heal. But if there’s ever a clear indication of how powerful it can be, simply turn to the world of fostering abused pets.
Today, I hopped on LinkedIn, and saw this video… For me, it’s effective, because if you’ve been the dog, you can recognize that sometimes, we need help, and sometimes, we want to snap at that help. If you’ve been the caretaker, you know you have the power (through patience, compassion. and vulnerability – love) to transform. If you’ve been on both sides (as most of us have), you understand the delicate balance between care and fear. You know how hard it is to seek and accept help, and you know how hard it is to show up every day and try again.
Be kind. Be compassionate. Be patient. Try to lift someone up today, and if that doesn’t work, try again tomorrow.