I don’t ask you to love me

always like this, but I ask

you to remember.

Somewhere inside of me there

will always be the person

I am tonight.

~F. Scott Fitzgerald

we’re studying love every day…..

inquiry for today~ we learn from each other- what love isn’t….

your love

Please, don’t talk to me about ‘Pure Awareness’ or ‘Dwelling in the Absolute’.

I want to see how you treat your partner, your kids, your parents,

your precious body. Please, don’t lecture me about ‘the illusion

of the separate self’ or how you achieved permanent bliss in just 7 days.

I want to feel a genuine warmth radiating from your heart.

I want to hear how well you listen,

take in information that doesn’t fit your personal philosophy.

I want to see how you deal with people who disagree with you.

Don’t tell me how awakened you are, how free you are from ego.

I want to know you beneath the words.

I want to know what you’re like when troubles befall you.

If you can fully allow your pain and not pretend to be invulnerable.

If you can feel your anger yet not step into violence.

If you can grant safe passage to your sorrow yet not be its slave.

If you can feel your shame and not shame others: and admit it.

If you can say ‘sorry’, and really mean it.

If you can be fully human in your glorious divinity.

Don’t talk to me about your spirituality, friend.

I’m really not that interested.I only want to meet YOU.

Know your precious heart. Know the beautiful human

struggling for the light.

Before ‘the spiritual one’.

Before all the clever words.

~Jeff Foster