Lessons in Unconditional Love

Nearly seven years back, I gave birth for the second time. Home birth was my choice, with the best loved of my friends in attendance. We welcomed the child with ritual and celebration under the starry skies of August. We walked my home built labyrinth under the pale pink and salmon of a summer sunrise. It was all lovely, even the incredible power of the force that gripped my body as Alexander entered the world.

Ever since then, he has been my teacher. He has a wonderful open heart, and he makes friends with everyone he meets. When he was three, he learned that there was such a thing as a birthday party, and he started inviting every single person we met. At the grocery store, "You can come to my birthday party at my house in Texas." At the bank, "Can you come to my birthday party tomorrow?" At the thrift store, "I'm going to be four, and you can come to my party." Real world logistics didn't matter. That they were total strangers didn't matter. All that mattered was that he had this tremendous and unconditional love for everybody, and he wanted them to be happy and celebrate.

Today he's more sophisticated. He tells people my phone number, so they can call for directions to our home. He asks if they're going to be busy. He's very considerate. And he's just as open and loving. He's never learned to hold back or be afraid or hide his light. I hope he never does. He has even found close friendship and mourned loss in one swift afternoon.

We met another youngster while shopping for clothes. They played together for maybe 30 minutes, and then we parted ways to go try things on. When we came back out, his friend had gone. He searched the aisles fruitlessly, then broke down into some serious tears. It didn't matter to him that they had been friends for only a short time. Zander loves completely and easily, and he had shared his heart with that other youngster as naturally as puppies play together. I held him while he cried, and I tried to understand the amazing purity that he has. I am not so open, not so easily filled with love or loss. But whose is the stronger heart? The one with barriers? I think not.

I thank all the faces of deity every day for the presence of the little master in my life. I hope that one day I can return to the blessed state of openness he demonstrates for me.

Namaste,
Crow