I had an entirely different blog entry forming in my head this morning, but then a surprise phone call from someone I adore and I immediately shifted gears.  I have become a bit of an email slacker as of late, and she was concerned that she had not heard from me, so she dialed my number just to check in and make sure I was OK.

I have to say, this was a great way to start my day.  That tiny gesture, nothing more.  There are many reasons why I frustrate people with my inconsistencies, anxieties and complications but honestly, I’m really easy most of the time.  I am like every other human being on this planet – I want to be seen and heard and loved.  Not in a celebrity "I want to be famous" kind of seen, but in a meaningful, authentic way by people I love, admire and am inspired by.  I do not need constant re-assurance and coddling, but it certainly is a lovely feeling to know my friend was thinking of me and wanted to make sure all was well in my world.  Thank you, Sunny.

I visited a cemetary in Milwaukee last week, and have not been able to stop thinking about the image of one particular grave marker peeking through the snow, where a portion of the word LOVED in gold letters was all that could be seen.  It got me thinking about how we value a life.  How there are probably very few, if any, headstones that read:

Successful
Rich
Famous
Well-Known
Perfect.

They are always the same – Loved, sometimes Beloved.

Is this what we, as humans, want more than anything?  Is this the definition of a life well-lived, a life with purpose, with meaning, with that special something that means we left a positive imprint on the world, that our life was of value?

To love…and to be loved…is there any higher purpose?

I believe there are many meaningful endeavors we can pursue in our lives that give us a sense of purpose.  There are many positive things for which we can be happily remembered, but somehow knowing the depth of love another person feels for us has a way of making all the other areas of our life pale in comparison.  I think without responsible, authentic love it is difficult to create a true center to which one can moor oneself.  By this I mean love that has depth and some form of a foundation…some form of commitment or community (dare I say family).  It cannot be immature, fleeting or idolized love, but love where a conscious choice is made to share love and create a relationship.  This is where one’s anchor can be found, where a centering can take place.  From this center one can go out into the world always knowing where one’s home is, which may or may not be a physically specific place.

To be loved…to travel throughout the world and design a life beneath a halo of beloved-ness, beneath the light created by the act of someone making a choice to love you…this, for me, is the most powerful center.  This is the center I always return to – my community, my family, my circle of soulmates.