You are wholly within love

"The Birth of Love"

To learn to love
is to be stripped of all love
until you are wholly without love
because
until you have gone
naked and afraid
into this cold dark place
where all love is taken from you
you will not know
that you are wholly within love.

-Madelaine L'Engle


I love Madelaine L'Engle.  I read all of her novels for young adults aloud to my children, who also adore Madelaine L'Engle.  I hate so many books for children because they adhere to the major fallacy of our culture - that violence is the way to peace.  For instance, this weekend, I let my granddaughter watch the film Matilda, based on the book by Roald Dahl.  Matilda goes to a school with a violent bully as a principal.  Even though it was cartoon violence, I expressed my misgivings to my granddaughter.  As violence affects our heroine, she discovers that she has the gift of psychokinesis - she can move things with her mind.  She proceeds to torture the principal, who disappears forever, and Matilda lives happily ever after.  (Note:  I watched it with her, and we discussed it.)

In my mind, I wondered how screwed up MAtilda would be because of her "successful" use of violence.

But Madelaine L'Engle - in her books the heroes and heroines overcome violence and cold and hate with love - love and peace and nonviolent refusal to participate.

And now I have discovered some recently published poems.

And this made me feel like perhaps we have more capacity to love once we have been stripped of everything.  But if that is true, and in this violent society, wouldn't we be the most peaceful and loving of people?  Instead we are hurt and isolated, bleeding alone, afraid to ask for help - never knowing who else might hurt us. (Another note: wouldnt we be that as long as we are not using our addictions to numb ourselves...instead, standing painfully aware.)

But this poem gives me hope.  Perhaps, having been stripped of safety, love, protection we recognize these gifts and can offer them.  Maybe we are love, but love turned inward.  And maybe it's time to turn outward.

Takes me back to you challenging me, and asking if the basket was turned up or down.


Rereading takes me to a deeper place.  This is making me cry.  Maybe we were always loved, or always held within love, but we were so cold, so chilled, we didn't see it, feel it, learn it, know it.  This universe, this world is love made tangible, and we are part of that perfection...

As I emerge, I cling to your love for me, because sometimes I don't see it anywhere else.  So I have to think how I want love to be expressed, and be that.  I am such a slow student!

How are you?  I am here!

-Clare