My Second Love

Confucius said, “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.”

Similarly, we live with two loves. The first love is the love we are born into and are raised in. This becomes the shape, size, and color of love for us. It’s just what is.

The second love is the love we choose to create for ourselves and others. For many, this first love is the only love they will know. They are fish swimming in the pond they were born in. They have done nothing wrong. They haven’t failed at anything.

And some will realize they can be the architect of their pond too. They are still fish, and still must swim, and still will know hunger, pain, and grief. But they can see outside the pond and can shape, expand and color the pond any way they wish.

This does not make them superior or special. Any fish could have the same realization. This makes them fully responsible for how they love. And, it gives them the responsibility of knowing that none of us chose the pond we were born in.

With the power of mindful love, comes the humility of compassion.

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