What Does Love Demand?

Gretchen van Dyck-Daggett, M.A.

 

 

What does "love" demand, I ask?

 

To give, and give, and give some more?

 

To forgive, and forgive, and forgive some more?

 

 

Who urges me to be more "compassionate"?

 

Is this demanding love from within me,

 

Or is it from some higher power beyond me?

 

 

Is it one more huge, heavy commitment 

Of my time and effort, 

Of my whole body, heart and soul?

 

 

Is it one more burden to weigh me down, 

Put on my 'to do' list, 

Slog through it, get it over with?

 

 

Or, could it be something kinder, 

Something softer, gentler 

Something I can gain from, just not give to?

 Are we talking about my love for you,

 

Or love of my work, for the earth,

 

Or love for my peers, for all beings?

 

What if, just what if…the lens shifts.

Instead of a burden, could this possibility

Be a glorious grace-filled gift?

 

Perhaps…just perhaps

There is a higher LOVE

That is perfect and complete unto itself.

 

A LOVE so powerful and pure and beautiful

That I can tap into it and allow it

To flow into me and through me.

 

What if I will continue to receive

More and more of this generous LOVE

The more I offer it from my heart?

 

Then I am filled with a joy so great

That I am happy to spread love

To all and everyone and everything.

 

I will lose nothing

I will gain everything

I will never be empty

There will always be enough.

 

 

And I will glow with

 

The undying flame

 

In my soul

 

Forever.

 

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Gretchen van Dyck-Daggett is a Sacred Threads participant and the Co-founder of ILLUMINATION.