Equal love...is it possible?

As a part of my spiritual quest, I have read an enormous amount of literature on the importance of learning to love each individual I encounter in my life, without prejudice.   I interpret that to mean that I should care for the person who cut in front of me in traffic as much as my own children, grandchildren and spouse.  For me, this has been the most difficult striving of my development, in spite of my extreme desire to achieve it. 

Any parent of more than one child knows that, on certain occasions, your love for one can swell a bit.  Ask just about anyone with siblings if their parents had a favorite.  But could it be that we can actually love a stranger like our own flesh and blood?  That’s the crux of the dilemma right there.   We’re thinking with our human egos.

The first step is to realize we are all one…and that’s a huge concept for some to grasp.  But if you can come to the understanding that in spirit, we are all related and emanate from the same source, you’ll look at the people you meet every day in a different light.  In one of the meditations from his book Three Magic Words, U.S. Anderson writes “In my brother’s eyes, there is my own soul.  In my friend’s smile, there is my own humor.  In my neighbor’s sorrow, there is my own loss.”  Profound words.

Opening my heart has been the most difficult achievement I have attempted to date, yet it is the most rewarding and emotionally fulfilling of all.  I find that when I look at someone with love and acceptance in my heart, it truly does expand.   What a wonderful feeling that is!  NAMASTE!