A few years ago I enjoyed watching the film Enchanted April. It includes the story of a woman who comes to realize how "stingy" she has been about loving others, especially her husband. She tells a friend that "the important thing is to have lots of love about." She confides to her that she used to give only as much love as she received in return, no more. "The emptiness of it all," she sighs. Later, when speaking to another friend, she observes, "You know, it's a great thing to get on with one's loving, and not to waste time."
There are times when we, too, realize the need to "get on with [our] loving." The circumstances of life often have a way of waking us up to the things that matter most, and so we find ourselves longing to grow into a bigger sense of love. We want to leave behind the small, petty outlook for a more generous and steady affection.
It's no secret that the more love there is in our hearts, the more truly alive we feel, and the more good we're able to accomplish. For example, we can probably all think of times when a feeling of pure, unselfed love for others has sprung up within us and overpowered fear or self-doubt. Restriction gives way to freedom at such moments. We feel the presence of divine Love itself. This displaces self-concern, and we find we're able to do with joy what we thought couldn't be done, or at least more than we thought was possible. Somehow, everyone around us feels freer, too, and is blessed.
