There is a beautiful, rhythmic dance hidden within Morrie Schwartz's words. To learn how to give love and to let it come in is to understand the very heartbeat of being alive. Often, we think of love as a finite resource, something we carefully ration out so we don't run out, or something we guard closely so we don't get hurt. But true love is more like a spring; the more you draw from it, the more it flows. It is a continuous cycle of reaching out to the world and opening our hearts to receive the warmth that the world offers in return.

In our busy, modern lives, it is so easy to build walls. We get caught up in our schedules, our stresses, and our defenses. We might find ourselves giving plenty of affection to our tasks or our ambitions, but forgetting to give that same tenderness to the people around us. Or, perhaps even more dangerously, we become so guarded that even when someone offers us a kind word, a hug, or a moment of genuine connection, we instinctively pull away to protect ourselves. We become islands, disconnected from the vast ocean of affection that surrounds us.

I remember a time when I felt particularly lonely, even in a room full of friends. I was so focused on being 'strong' and 'independent' that I had unintentionally locked all my windows and doors. I was busy helping others with their problems, giving all my energy away, but I wasn't letting anyone see my own vulnerability. I wasn't letting any love in. It wasn't until a dear friend sat with me in silence, refusing to let me retreat into my shell, that I realized my mistake. By refusing to be vulnerable, I was actually starving myself of the very nourishment I needed to thrive.

Learning this balance is a lifelong journey, and it is okay if you stumble along the way. Some days, your heart might feel like a fortress, and other days, it might feel like an open meadow. The goal is to keep practicing that opening and closing, that giving and receiving. As I reflect on this, I am reminded of my own little nest where I try to keep the light on for anyone who needs it. I hope you can find a way to soften your edges today.

Take a moment to look around you. Is there someone you can reach out to with a simple, kind word? And more importantly, is there someone reaching out to you that you might be resisting? Try to take one small breath of acceptance and let a little bit of that warmth settle into your soul.