Let Your Love Light Shine

Love radiates from us when we pause, “step-back”, think of others, and act accordingly. The magical thing is, everyone is blessed in the process, because love is its own reward.

Lisa is like the perfect summer day. My wife’s radiance warms, refreshes, and energizes others from the inside out. For instance, even though she works for the Department of Defense, it’s because of the light of her love that she is exceptional at her job. She goes the extra mile to care and provide for the people, and everyone knows it. Coworkers of all flavors come to her not only for professional assistance, but for personal help.

As a person who is gaga for the Christ, and his way of love and peace, I honestly feel “Lisa is the best person since Jesus.” True story! I say it all the time, and sincerely mean it from my lived experience.

On the more playful side of things, I’m also convinced Lorde is singing for Lisa in her tune “Solar Power”,when she croons: “I’m kinda like a prettier Jesus.” Yes! That’s it! And, can I just pause to point out how much that line tickles me on SO many levels?! What a great turn of phrase!

Lisa’s kinda like a prettier Jesus. :)

(Lisa! 🤩😍 Courtesy of @JulieBurdick)

Speaking of Jesus, who said the point of life is Love, this is part 2 of a series of posts on what it means to align with love. Recognizing love is a dance that includes ourselves, others, and the Sublime Source of It All, my first blog was on self-love (check it out if you haven’t yet!), and today’s is about loving those who are regular parts of our lives.

With that in mind—and sticking with the sun, summer, and light theme—it occurs to me that:

Good friends are like the summer sun. They make everything brighter and better.

Do you know what I mean? When we’re living in love, we keep our eyes, hearts, and minds wide open to those around us. And by doing so, love leads us to encourage the discouraged, hug the hurting, hear the lamenting, celebrate the thriving, sit with the grieving, become curious about the troublemakers, speak up for the voiceless, set a love bubble up around the violent, and so on.

Lisa teaches me how to do this better on the daily. I recently had a substantial chunk of a tattoo sleeve done on my left arm. Factoring in travel time, the three sessions basically took three days. I bring that up because—due to a visual disability—I can’t drive. So, Lisa willingly volunteered three of her days to take me to have my arm covered in storied art.

Isn’t that incredible? And, isn’t that simply what love does?

Love lifts up.

That said, love is neither dumb or a pushover. While we were across the Puget Sound (from where we live in Poulsbo, WA) in Seattle getting my tattoos, Lisa got our grocery shopping done. And—even better—each time, she purposefully brought a different grandkid with her, so they could bond and connect. The grandkids’ childlike delight and enthusiasm to spend quality one-on-one time with “Nana” was palpable.

Lisa went out of her way to invite grandkids to spend the night (which is always a joy), pick them up, and then go with us to Seattle while I got tattooed, because:

Love includes.

The inclusive nature of love, leads one to put themselves in the shoes of others. A beautiful way Lisa taught me this lesson is by leaving the light on. I have an 18-year-old kiddo. Side note, what exactly is the protocol on what we call our children as they age? Mine is nonbinary, so “daughter” and “son” are off the table. But I digress.

After Kato got their driver’s license and earned the freedom to stay out later; I noticed Lisa would turn the back porch light on when it was dark and Kato wasn’t home yet. This taught me a huge—literal and metaphorical—lesson on what love does.

Love leaves the light on.

Another way to put this is that love leaves the “door” open. You know how a hospitable supervisor or manager has an open-door policy? As the boss of our lives, love leads us to leave the “door” of our hearts open to others. The light of love tells others, “You are Welcome” 24/7.

Yet, while love is like a lighthouse, guiding people to safety during life’s storms, it’s not purely passive. Lisa cultivates great relationships with her kids and grandkids by regularly seeking them out. Whether it’s via a text, message, or call, she actively lets them know they are welcomed and wanted in her life. In other words:

Love nurtures and pursues life-giving relationships.

I find one of the best gifts of a loving relationship is the freedom to share and express all the bits and pieces within you—the light and the dark, the beautiful and the ugly, the kind and the violent. It is SO freeing to be able to share my inner fears, angers, frustrations, rants, and so on with people like Lisa, Scott, Leia, and others.

We all have “things” in us that—to put it mildly—aren’t great. Do you know what I mean? The key is to bring these to the light, by sharing them in safe spaces. Vulnerably expressing the unsavory energies within us, is precisely what frees us from them. Hiding, ignoring, or shoving them down—as we’re tempted to do—simply doesn’t go well. I am blessed to be able to rant, rage, and vent to people who care for me. I am grateful:

Love is safe.

Now, it’s important to recognize: The aspects of love I’ve pointed out aren’t so much a to-do list for us to accomplish, as they are things done through us when we allow ourselves to relax into the rhythm of love. I’ve found the more I trust and believe this, the more loving becomes as natural and normal as breathing. I have a hunch you will too!

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Above all things

If kindness is your king

Then heaven will be yours

Before you meet your end

—Dave Matthews Band in “Squirm”

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Hugs & Love,

Lang (aka “Dr. Love”)