“You can’t just say ‘I love you.’ You have to live ‘I love you.’”
Ben Harper
There’s a big difference between thinking about something and really feeling it, between understanding something intellectually and knowing it experientially, between teaching a lesson and embodying it in your being, and between saying something and truly meaning it.
In a world that puts so much value on efficiency and expediency, it has become increasingly difficult to remain connected to our hearts, both in the little and the big things of life. And, yet, to maintain access to the true joys of life, it is so important that we come from our hearts as we go through our days, in whatever it is that we are doing.
When we’re truly present to where we are, whom we’re with, and what we’re doing, when our hearts are switched on and involved, then there’s an opening for love to flow into every exchange, every action, every creation and give light and life to our experiences. The more we dwell in and live from our heart space, the greater the opening becomes and the more easily the bottomless well of love within us can pour out.
Though we often seek fulfillment in outward accomplishments, in material possessions, and in the endless pursuit of worldly significance, true fulfillment is not something that can be bought, achieved, or won.
In fact, true fulfillment, real meaning, the juiciness of life, the stuff that nurtures our souls, lifts our spirits, and inspires us to live to the fullest is born of LOVE.
And love lives first and foremost in our hearts.
Think of a meal joyfully prepared by a mother for her children, a poem passionately written and gently spoken by a romantic soul for her beloved, a bouquet of flowers carefully picked, a door kindly held open, a warm hug, a radiant smile, a thoughtful gift. All these are the fruits of a heart’s love flowing into the simplest of actions and gestures. And it is to give life to such love-filled treasures—and experience the joy they bring to others and us—that we are here on this earth.
In my own experience as an artist, I have been learning to practice this after a long stretch of playing music and writing songs for the “wrong” reasons. For a while, my preoccupation with “making it”—proving myself and achieving success in my career—caused me to lose my connection to the joy of creating and the authentic voice that once lived at the heart of my musical expression. Since coming to this realization, I have made a conscious effort to let go of my attachment to these worldly outcomes and to play music for the simple love of it. This intention has allowed me to create from my heart rather than my mind, to allow my soul to express whatever wants to come through in each moment rather than trying to force it, and to focus on service rather than achievement. This is an ongoing practice, and I’m nowhere near having mastered it. What I know for sure is that when I play from my heart and I put my love into it, that’s when the real magic happens and I feel a connection to a source of creativity much bigger than myself.
The truth is that there’s no shortage of love on this planet. There’s simply a need for a greater expression of it. And it’s up to us to remain connected to that abundant source of love within us, to open up and let love rule.
So let us live from our hearts. Let us look from our hearts. Let us speak from our hearts. Let us act from our hearts. Let us create from hearts. Then love will truly be present in all that we do, all that we see, all that we say, and all that we bring forth in this world.
From my heart to yours.
Much love,
Chris
Chris Assaad is a man on a mission with an unwavering commitment to spreading Peace, Love, and Inspiration around the globe. Chris is a singer/songwriter and inspirational artist from Toronto who left a promising career in law several years ago to pursue his dream of a career in music. Since then, Chris has been actively using his voice to enCOURAGE others to follow their dreams, express their creativity and live life to the fullest.
You can listen to and download Chris’s latest release “Into The Light” for FREE here and find him on Facebook or Twitter.
*Photo by Helga Weber.
