Eager to Love

Joe is my big brother and one of my heroes. 1775 days my elder, he has been my trailblazer of life. I look up to him as he leads the way, teaches me, and mentors me. He has lived a life of loving God and loving others. Through struggles and obstacles, he has been an example of love personified in his action and in his being.  

Richard Rohr wrote, “the soul needs living models to grow...people who are eager to love change us at deeper levels; they alone seem able to open the field of both mind and heart at the same time.” That is Joe, eager to love. He is kind, sensitive, and persistent. I have benefitted watching him genuinely love and serve God and his neighbors. He brings me joy. He makes me smile.  

This morning, I wrote in my journal, “All I need is a direction and a next step. The direction is my wildly important goal that makes my heart sing. The next step is what’s important now. The thing that’s going to move me closer toward my goal right now, at this very moment. I am grateful for this direction and this next step. I am grateful for doing the things that bear the fruit of love, joy, and peace. 

I’m grateful that we recognize birthdays and take time to celebrate the people in our lives. I’m grateful that we set aside moments to take our eyes off ourselves and look at the ones who surround us and make us better. Joe has made me better. As my elder and my trailblazer, I look to him and just thank God that this world has people like him in it, eager to love and live deeply.  

Birthdays are also a reminder that ALL days are important, and ALL our fellow life travelers are worthy of our love. Today, may we appreciate those around us. May we open ourselves to the surprise and delight and joy from doing the things of life together. May we remember to seek the wildly important as we continually do what’s important. And may we be the living models that others need to change and grow.   

Photo by Fadi Xd on Unsplash