Be Present - Reading #2

from the book, Until Today! by Iyanla Vanzant

You cannot be fully present in your loving if you are happy sometimes and sad most of the time, if you are afraid to leave while you are wondering if you are going to be left.  You cannot be fully present in your loving if you are wondering why you should stay or how you can go without hurting or being hurt.  You are not present in love if you are afraid to tell the absolute truth about who you are, what you need and what you want. Under these circumstances, you are not present in love. You are hiding!

Love does not hide anyone! Love stands tall in the truth of what it is for everyone to see and receive it. Love does not tell half of the story, some of the time.  Nor does love avoid telling its story just to save time and feelings. Love is respectful, honorable, noble and honest. Love is gentle, compassionate, willing to share and able to comfort. Love speaks boldly yet softly.  It reaches far without losing ground.  You know that love is presnt when in the midst of the storm you can find something, some one thing, to laugh about, smile about and hold on to.

You are not fully presnt in your loving if you are blaming and not accepting your share of the responsibility, if you are not acknowledging your part in whatever is going on or your pain about it. You are not and cannot be fully present in your loving if you are not expressive gratitude for all you have receieved, if you are not supporting or sharing your vision for yourself.  You cannot be fully present in your loving of another if you are still making excuses for not being presnt because you are in a great deal of pain!

Until today, you may have made excuses for not being fully present in your loving relationships.. Just for today, be devoted to being fully present in all of your relationships. Share the truth of your thoughts and feelings. Share the truth about yourself.

Today I am devoted to finding the courage to be fully present in my relationships!