Dear Friend Series: I love you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it!

Dear friend,

I love you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

I first heard that line in a Scrubs episode a few years ago when a fictional pastor said it at the end of his sermon for a funeral. I remember a warm feeling fill me even though it was an actor on a TV show saying it.

I began to think about how powerful this statement is...unconditional love. And I thought "If an actor on TV saying this affected me so much, how would my community feel hearing it from me?"

And that is when I started ending each of my blog posts and emails with it.

Because if there is something I aspire to be it's a person who loves unconditionally. It isn't easy. But when I disagree with someone or the differences between us seem insurmountable I come back to the same truth: our humanity is loveable. Even when we make mistakes or say the wrong thing. Even when that space between us feels impossible to overcome.

In the last few months, I've fallen in love with a song from Sara Bareilles' most recent album. The song is "Orpheus" and it details the difficulty of living in a world that can feel filled with pain. 

"I'll show you good, restore your faith, I'll try and somehow make meaning of the poison in this place, Convince you, love, don't breathe it in.
You were written in the stars that we are swimming in."

And she ends the chorus with "We'll say, we did not give up on love today."

Wow. This song feels like the manifestation of my hope. I want to end each day and be able to say "I did not give up on love today." I did not let the pain and fear stop me from choosing love. Endless love. Unconditional love.

I want us all to strive for this even when it's difficult...especially when it's difficult.

And I hope that each time you read an email or blog or drink out of my mugs you can FEEL my love. I hope that when things are hard or you feel you are not enough that you hear my voice saying:

I love you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Sara