Day 27: Strengthening Our Ability to Give and Receive Love

I wonder, no, that’s not accurate, I am pretty sure I KNOW that our limited social interactions have made this year extremely difficult regardless of our situation. Homebound or essential worker - everyone has something to complain about. As we approach Christmas, I wonder if it might be good to take a few blogs to think about spirituality and its place in our life. Perhaps it could help us find some comfort or guidance during these difficult days.

Although spirituality comes in a variety of forms – all who seek after spiritual truths have one common element to their worship – they long to be connected. This connection, however expressed, includes a connection with God and others. So being quarantined cannot be great for our spirituality, right?

Experts hasten to add that it should also include a good connection with self. Learning to love God, self and others seems like one of those things we must not lose heart and grow weary in the doing. I believe it is important for another reason. People who lose all sense of connection lose all hope. This feeling of “disconnect” may not seem logical to those who love the hopeless one, but this feeling of invisibility seems to be a hallmark for the depressed and suicidal. Clearly, I don’t have the power to restore hope to the hopeless – that is God’s department. But I do believe that each of us bears the “burden” of responsibility to be a spiritual friend. (This is one of those concepts that should thrive within the limits of healthy boundaries – learning how to love God, self and others well.) I confess, this study comes out of a deep, hurting place within me. I am asking questions and seeking answers about how each of us can strengthen our ability to both give and receive love.

Right now, it all seems very hard.