Those Watching Over Us...

"To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life. But to feel the affection that comes from those whom we do not know, from those unknown to us, who are watching over our sleep and solitude, over our dangers and our weaknesses-that is something still greater and more beautiful because it widens the boundaries of our being, and unites all living things" Pablo Neruda

I love this quote, I found it MONTHS ago, and took a picture of it from the magazine I found it in, because I didn't want to mistype it at all. Directly being loved by someone we recognize (family, friends, etc) is a powerful force....but giving and receiving love to and from those unknown to us is powerful. It is as though we cannot accept it, we don't know what to do with it. And as we give it, it feels very different from directly giving love to those we know personally. I see it a lot with my role at Soles4Souls, hearing the stories of feedback from our partners as they describe people's response to receiving a new pair of shoes. People are taken aback that someone wants to provide them with something they need, and YET...there is no connection between them other than being two humans.

As a believer, I love this because it directly parallels how it feels when God loves us....I am overwhelmed, often wait for it to be taken away (because it is just too good to be true), and then I am just in awe that Someone so big would love me. And I feel mysteriously closer to Him through that.

I read this quote too, and I think of all of the "caregivers" of our world-the soldiers watching over us, policemen, firemen, teachers and yes, I realize that in this great, big world we are interconnected....through love. And that makes me just say wow. Thats the best word I can find for it right now.