our lives are not our own from womb to tomb we are bound to others – from the movie Cloud Atlas
How can we choose love when we have experienced so little of it? We choose love by taking small steps of love every time there is an opportunity. A smile, a handshake, a word of encouragement, a phone call, a card, an embrace, a kind greeting, a gesture of support, a moment of attention, a helping hand, a present, a financial contribution, a visit … all these are little steps toward love.
Each step is like a candle burning in the night. It does not take the darkness away, but it guides us through the darkness. When we look back after many small steps of love, we will discover that we have made a long and beautiful journey.
– Henri Nouwen
www.henrinouwen.org
life: acoustic & amplified 
holds special meaning today. It’s my youngest granddaughters 2nd birthday and I won’t be there. It breaks my heart. A frivilous expenditure? I don’t think so but one we can’t afford. Yes we are bound. Good Post! ~ God Bless
To allbuthomeless… I can understand and I can feel your heart breaking. But the key is to make sure she knows you love her and want to come, but can’t for reasons beyond your control. Your physical presence is secondary. What she needs is to know you love her. And what you need to know that she knows you love her. Being there with her would make that easier. But remember that love shown when it’s not easy is worth many times the love that’s shown when no barriers lie in the way.
This is so true. Consider the possibility that after we die, and our ability to impact this living world is over, heaven might be looking on the many small acts of love we did in life and knowing the effect they had. And hell might be looking back on the opportunities we had to love and care and share that we did not act on, and the that that had.