Each of you shines with incredible light, pure, good, and I see that potential in you.

My loved ones think I love too easily.

They’ve always told me to be careful, not to get in over my head, to keep my wits about me. They’ve always cast a wary eye on the love interests in the screenplay of my life. They’ve wondered about the friends I keep around me. Many times some of those I love don’t quite get why I care so deeply about others whom I love.

The truth is, each of you shines with incredible light, pure, good, and I see that potential in you. I see who you yearn to be. I see your heart, and who you are when you trust yourself, your heart, your light, your dreams.

Each of you has fears, drama, worry; each of you is human and imperfect. But you’re united by your will, your intention, your desire – however easy or hard it may be to choose that path consistently – to realize your brightness.

You struggle. I struggle. We all fight these demons and the hardest part is when our individual, internal struggles spill out amongst us and wreak havoc on those we love. I don’t do a good enough job of explaining that my love for each of you is not dependent on your actions toward me. Perhaps the details of our relationships adjust to reflect our needs, or perhaps we lose contact for long periods of time, but how I feel toward you remains steadfast. I don’t stop loving easily. I never quite learned how.

And if you see me in pain, look to me for the answers to my pain, not those around me, because I have chosen to surround myself with these people whose innate greatness brings me much joy, and yes – sometimes much frustration and sorrow. I do sometimes lose myself in service to people that I love. Finding the balance of self and service, of following my dreams and encouraging the dreams of others, of who I am as individual and who I am when I’m around you – that’s my journey now.

A friend told me recently she wanted love to come hard at her, to seek her out and announce its presence and win her heart. I love that, and wish that for all of us.

Another wants me to always be nurtured and cared for as much as I do for others. So do I, though I’ll be the first to admit that it’s often easier for me to give than to receive care.

I tell you to follow your hearts and then you watch me and see my conflicted record in following my own heart. No, I don’t always take my own advice. But there’s one way I follow my heart always: in fiercely and dearly loving each of you, because each of you glow brightly with greatness, because I see the person you really are.