In the act of giving something is born...

• Love is a friendship set to music. – Joseph Campbell

When my spirit overflows with rich emotions, words are as difficult to tame as butterflies.
And so I remain rather dumbfoundedly speechless…
And instead rely on a grimace of a smile, watery eyes, a gesture of my hand to my heart, a deep sigh, and a softly spoken “thank you” to express the near to bursting feeling I experience in my heart.
People that are closest to me are familiar with this expression, because they are the ones who usually elicit such emotions in me.
And so… for these individuals, my closest friends, the ones I refer to as my-family-of-choice…
The ones who have shared with me their stories – some heart wrenching, some uplifting…
The ones who have shared with me their vulnerabilities – sacred glimpses into their most private worlds…
The ones who have introduced me to their loved ones, their families, their communities…
For these individuals I dedicate today’s posting.
I dedicate this to them, because of the joy and love they bring forth in my life.
I dedicate these few words to them, because they bring to life the following thoughts from Erich Fromm:

• The most important sphere of giving, however, is not that of material things, but lies in the specifically human realm. What does one person give to another? He gives of himself, of the most precious he has, he gives of his life. This does not necessarily mean that he sacrifices his life for the other – but that he gives him of that which is alive in him; he gives him of his joy, of his interest, of his understanding, of his knowledge, of his humor, of his sadness – of all expressions and manifestations of that which is alive in him. In thus giving of his life, he enriches the other person, he enhances the other’s sense of aliveness by enhancing his own sense of aliveness. He does not give in order to receive; giving is in itself exquisite joy. But in giving he cannot help bringing something to life in the other person, and this which is brought to life reflects back to him; in truly giving, he cannot help receiving that which is given back to him. Giving implies to make the other person a giver also and they both share in the joy of what they have brought to life. In the act of giving something is born, and both persons involved are grateful for the life that is born for both of them. Specifically with regard to love this means: love is a power which produces love…