Seems simple doesn’t it? Like of course we’re giving love and caring to those around us, duh!! But really, sometimes the last people we think about are those people that we’re used to seeing day in and day out. Today was a really good day for me it’s nice and sunny in Austin, Texas but it’s also amazingly cool, like in the 50’s in the morning so it makes for incredible running weather. Had a great 5-6 mile run and then was off to my favorite hair stylist (the incomparable Elly Wood at Sophie’s Garden Salon). I ran some errands and was on my way home when a very good friend of mine called me with some soul quaking news that she had been digesting and processing over the last few days. All I could do was hold her over the phone and let her know that she was loved and there was a lot of help out here and although life really sucked right now for her, shed’ get through it.

I felt that balloon bubble of tears at the bottom of my heart swell out for my friend and at the same time I felt grateful to be able to feel even though I was sad and that I have my life in order enough that I can be there for somebody to lean on. That’s a good feeling for someone like me considering a good part of my twenties I spent leaning on a whole lot of people.

I’m reminded that there are many of us walking around out here that have our share of burdens to carry. I sometimes forget that although I learned quite thoroughly a number of years ago when I entered the 12-step programs that “you are only as sick as your secrets” that there are many people who live in the constant fear of their secrets being found out. I also know today that our secrets can also hurt those people who we love by our omissions. There are so many good avenues for finding help with our burdens today but we have to be willing to do the footwork to find the best routes for ourselves. My journey began at the end of the 80’s when I really felt like I was losing my mind and I got the name of several reputable therapists and interviewed several before I found “the one” who I had a connection and that I trusted. I saw her for several years and then stumbled into the 12-step programs of AA and Al-Anon through friends. I also explored all kinds of spiritual beliefs, meditations, faiths and ways of healing. For me, exposing my ego and helping myself to evolve became my spiritual destiny.

And yet, it took me a long time to get to the point where I would ask for help. We humans are very good at creating all kinds of neurotic diversions to facing the truth within ourselves. It takes real courage to reach out and do something different.

In Don Miguel Ruiz’s (http://www.miguelruiz.com/) book “The Mastery of Love” there is a beautiful prayer for self-love that I highly recommend reading. A couple of sentences that feel especially poignant to me today are as follows, “Starting today, help us to love ourselves so much that we never set up any circumstances that go against us. We can live our life being ourselves and not pretending to be someone else just to be accepted by other people. We no longer need other people to accept us or tell us how good we are because we know what we are.”

Love yourself most especially and remember to give a little love to those around you.