Almost daily, I see or hear stories of hardship, brokenness, oppression and pain. These stories are happening right here in our neighborhood, our city, cities all over the US, and in so many places around the world. Recently, I have found it difficult to know what to do or how to best respond.

Sure, I do what I can to support and help who I can where I can. I am grateful I get to be involved in work that grows awareness and educates folks in ways that could change the world.

Yet I have had this nagging sense that there’s something else. There’s more to do.

Then I came across this quote from Gerald May [emphasis mine]:

“Classic Eastern and Western spiritual traditions identify three ways of approaching life: the way of action, the way of knowing, and the way of feeling. It is assumed that a full life involves all three, but at any given time a person tends to prefer one. It is critical, however, to recognize that neither love nor anything else of consequence can be rightfully reduced to one narrow vision.

Love is feeling “tenderness, caring and longing” but it is also much more. Love is action “kindness, charity and commitment” and again, it is much more. Love is knowing “openness of attitude, realization of connectedness, expansion of attention beyond ourselves” and still it is more.”

Gerald May has reminded me my feelings – and that nagging sense of more to do – is my longing and desire to love. And that feeling of love awakens awareness and activates me to action.

Let’s LOVE! Not in a narrowly focused way, but in the way of knowing, feeling and acting.

– Caz Tod-Pearson