By: Aliana Alani ©2016

There is a beautiful song written by Sting called, How Fragile We Are. I heard it for the first time driving down a highway in the dead of night. Its haunting melody searched the horizons of my heart like the car’s headlights searched the road ahead. Were we travelling the same path? It felt that way. And so began, among other things, a love of Sting’s music, which continues to this day.

One would think that with all the topsy-turvy in the world we might just get used to the ebb and flow of life, its almost constant shift and change. You could even dance with the idea that within these upside-down moments, tremulous as they often are, reside opportunities hidden deep within, life lessons that can ultimately ease the way, shining a path to home.  And yet…

How fragile we are…

There is a vulnerability within us all. A soft spot we frequently like to protect. Instinctively we know it is a door to loving; still we’re careful, usually, about how often we leave it open, or who we let in, or whether we dare to enter it ourselves and live from its sacred domain, a center space we crave like some long distant memory. We’re careful, cautious, because inside we know…

How fragile we are…

And yet we also know, again at a deep level, that it is our greatest gift, this vulnerability, this circle of feeling. We sense, with every fibre of our being, that we are at our best when we are loving; that we are living our Divine potential when we are sharing that love without condition; when we are coming from a place of unlimited kindness and compassion. We know this, still…

When devastation happens – wars rage, fires ravage, floods submerge, people we love succumb to illness or despair and we find ourselves alone – when that which we hold dear dissolves before our eyes, it is hard to imagine that in such moments we are at the very precipice of loving, and yet we are. It may not feel like that. It may feel like an abyss with nothing left, no light, no home to go to, no one to hold onto. It may feel as though there will be no tomorrow – none you can see, none that feels worth living for. It may feel as though everything is closing down. And yet…

…the rain will fall, like tears from a star…

Every moment carries an opportunity – to dare to open, to heal, and to love again. Whether it is an outstretched helping hand, a smile that warms the soul, or a welcome mat you never expected to find – whether you are the giver or the receiver – whether we are talking about humanity, the earth, or beyond – it is all about the loving. Always.

…like tears from a star…

Nothing happens without all of us feeling it. All of us. Everywhere. Whether we know it or not. And everything blossoms and grows with love, especially when generously given. Things come and go. Worlds evolve and change. But the essence of love is always there, dancing throughout the play of life. It is who we are.

This love – infinite, knowing no bounds or limits – this is who we truly are.

Apologies and gratitude to Sting for borrowing some of his beautiful song phrases to filter through this writing. I didn’t ask ahead of time so I’m hoping he won’t mind. How Fragile We Are is, to me, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. If you have never heard it, do yourself a favor, find it, buy it, and listen.