Love Beyond Obligation

I live my life based on a lot of "shoulds".... I should call my friend, that's what friends do and it's been a while...I should send that birthday card, my family is important to me....I should go to that BBQ even though I don't want to but it is important to see everyone...I should offer to help, they've helped me so much...I should talk to that person about the most important thing in life...

Responsibility is good and doing the right thing is good, but love because of obligation is small, gated, stiffled, shallow.

I've found myself immersed in a community where love is just the opposite.  It's like standing in the rain, drops flowing down my face, wet, but the rain keeps falling, until I'm totally soaked.

I'm being loved beyond what's appropriate or expected of my friendships. A kind meal dropped off by a friend turned into a freezer full of food to help us make it through the next weeks.  An offer to help turned into a team of people coming to clean, cut the grass, change our light bulbs, vacuum, and wash floors.  A greeting, "hey - how are you?", isn't just what you say when you see someone but a conversation with genuine interest taking the time to ask questions and listen.

My definition of what it means to live in authentic community has changed.  I thought I knew what loving people was, but now I'm really living it.  Love Beyond Obligation. That's how I want to live, loving others beyond just the "shoulds".