Monday, February 12, 2007

YOU ARE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

Living on the songs from Carly Simon's latest album, "Into White," totally OCD over it, memorized within a week every word to every song (of course over 1/2 were already familiar, but...) Originally got it because I wanted to hear her rendition of "Blackbird", which is beautiful, but now I'm all about "You are the Love of My Life."

How can the love of our life be anyone but our child, or children? Is it possible to love any other humans, the way we love our kids? What is stronger than a mother's love, anything?

Got in a big discussion over this when I went to the beach over the weekend. Can you ever love all humans, feel total equanimity towards others, the way you do your child? Someone had told one of us that the love she had for her mother and children, she could never feel for others. Never. We all vehemently disagreed. The mother/child bond is certainly special, but does that mean you could never love another like that? What about all others? Could you ever reach such a spiritual state that you say the light in others (Namaste) and greeted it? That you felt nothing but love and compassion for each and every person on the planet? Every single one? The murderers? All world leaders? No exceptions?

Although we all felt so strongly that such a thing was possible, we weren't sure we'd ever climb to that rung of the enlightenment ladder, much as we'd like to, which begs the question, is it worth striving for something you realistically may never reach? Is the strife in and of itself valuable? Would falling short of the ultimate goal while getting very, very close, not greatly benefit all the lives one comes into contact with?

I'd like to think so, with that being the case, you are all the loves of my life.

love.

13 comments:

Suzy said...

That's a great song from great Nora Ephron movie-
"This is My Life". Julie Kavner plays a single mom who wants to be a stand up comedian and shows the strained relationships with her 2 daughters over her career. Not having the love from my mother or vice versa, I can still see that kind of love.
I don't have kids, but sure do love my dogs like this.

Jerri said...

If you ask me (and you sorta did), every tiny movement toward peace and understanding, every action or thought taken in the pursuit of peace changes the Universe is real and important ways.

So, we may never be able to love ALL beings as we love our children. But we CAN and WILL have compassion toward more beings, love with greater understanding, drop our shields of indifference toward some if that is our intention.

Sounds pretty good, huh?

Courtney said...

My mom used the Carly song on my senior page when I graduated from high school. Carly is a favorite of mine -- has been for my entire life. I'm superstitious about her -- like if I hear one of her songs on the radio, I think it means the day will be lucky. I go back and forth on what my favorite song is. It might be "Boys in the Trees."

Nancy said...

You just stepped up another rung on the ladder!

Anonymous said...

love.

Anonymous said...

"And, in the end, the love you take
is equal to the love you make."
--The Beatles

You have a lot of love coming your way!

riversgrace said...

Maybe the love for our children (or beloveds) opens us to the possibility of loving others that deeply, that unselfishly. And then sometimes the way I love my women friends reminds me to love my child with that kind of generosity. And then the grateful moments when we truly love ourselves and just become love that spreads like wind.

Michelle O'Neil said...

When we talk about loving every other person like we love our children, we must remember to include ourselves on this list.

Love you Carrie! Period.

Blair said...

Loving without preference is the practice. The more we practice the better off we ALL are.
EQUANIMITY is the key teaching. This is very hard, but worth a try.

Anonymous said...

Happy Happy Birthday from a fan.

jennifer said...

Right back at you, girlfriend...

there is a certain doom when one hears..."some have acheived this state of grace, but not you, not with your conditioning, your choices and your attitudes...you will never achieve this state of grace...EVER." Wow! I can't even imagine folding into this belief about myself...Buddhists would call such a statement an EVIL MARA...that is a challenge from the ego being expressed out the mouth of a so called naysayer...but I say BACK...I say Dropa (illusion)...I say, you do not have to strive to be in this state of grace...you are by your very soul that illuminates your body and mind...it already is and that is that.

Be gentle and that is all.

Kim G. said...

I would hope that each action we take to serve others in love doesn't end in the action itself, but works like a ripple in a pond and radiates beyond what we could anticipate.

A little birdie said it's your birthday today! Have a great one!

Anonymous said...

many will try and some will come close but it's not going to happen in this life...maybe the next?

the love you are write about is supernatural-

it is however, alive and growing strong "in spirit" within the ministry of your blog

thank you for spreading the L O V E