37 Comments
Oct 13Liked by Jonathan Fields

What a beautiful post and call to go beyond the victim waiting around for someone to notice and love you.

Expand full comment
author

Great observation, Eva. It's also about agency.

Expand full comment

Love this! So much joy comes when we notice and acknowledge the things in our environment such as a single flower, a tree, a rock or things we take for granted in a walk. Love abounds when we make a conscious effort to really see life.

Expand full comment
author

Yes, even the natural environment can be a recipient, Cheryl!

Expand full comment
Oct 16Liked by Jonathan Fields

This reminds me of one of my all-time favourite quotes that I remind myself time and again...

At the end of my life, when I say one final What have I done?, let my answer be, I have done love.

Jennifer Pastiloff

Expand full comment
author

Love that quote, too. And love JP, who is a dear friend and someone I wrote about in my last book.

Expand full comment
Oct 15Liked by Jonathan Fields

I try to live my life this way…to connect in any small or large way I can…with the person at the grocery story checking my groceries, my co-worker, my child, my dog. We can spread love through every micro interaction we have with those who cross our path.

Expand full comment
author

Great points, Karin. Even the small moments count.

Expand full comment
Oct 14Liked by Jonathan Fields

Thank you for the inspiration, Jonathan!

Your article made me think what is more important to me, what is more rewarding and what do I desire more - being loved or loving. And I was surprised to find out it might be the latter… That warm feeling when you hug your kids or even just watch them play.

Self love must then be the ultimate thing, right? Being loved and loving at the same time. But are we really capable to love ourselves as much as another person and then feel both loved and loving simultaneously?

Expand full comment
author

Interesting realization. And the beautiful thing is, we don't have to choose. It's a "yes, and" thing.

Expand full comment

So much unconditional Love to you, Jonathan. All good things for your week. 💞 thank you for your heart.

Expand full comment
author

Wishing the same back your way!

Expand full comment

Sending u love and appreciation Jonathan. Thank you for your writing.

I notice that when I give love and affection to my dog,I feel it in return. Its so simple. Sometimes he thinks he's a cat, trying to sit on my lap and purring....not easy when he's a dalmatian.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Scott! love that you have a dog with a cat complex. lol

Expand full comment
Oct 17Liked by Jonathan Fields

Ooph. And yummy. Both right.

Expand full comment
author

So glad it resonated, Ivo.

Expand full comment

Thanks Jonathan. This was a beautiful reminder as I was pondering how to start my day.

Expand full comment
author

So glad it was a beautiful reminder, Phil. And so nice to see your name again after many years!

Expand full comment

We shouldn't disregard the nourishing, rewarding aspects of giving love to others. We shouldn't just be constantly expecting others to give us love.

Expand full comment
author

Being love is a great invitation, Raveen.

Expand full comment
Oct 14Liked by Jonathan Fields

Thank you for this today Jonathan. Really resonated.

Expand full comment
author

So glad it resonated, Mary.

Expand full comment

I loved reading this. I was having a conversation about this same topic this week—big Hugs dear friend. xo Rosie

Expand full comment
author

Big hugs back your way, Rosie!

Expand full comment
Oct 14Liked by Jonathan Fields

Thank you Jonathan Fields. It's easy to forget how many encounters there are in big cities to generate kindness & love. On the street, in a subway, in a store—smiles and glances of kindness, are not just for friendly small towns. It works in metropolises, too.

Expand full comment
author

So agree, Lucina. Big cities can seem so anonymous and impersonal, and yet when we start looking, there are so many opportunities to connect.

Expand full comment
Oct 14Liked by Jonathan Fields

Beautiful and inspiring. And as the song goes - the love you take is equal the love you make. Hopefully we can get to a point where our need to control the outcome won't prevent us from giving the world the best in us

Expand full comment
author

Ah, yes, that big control beast, it's alive and well in all of us.

Expand full comment

Beautiful post! 👌

Expand full comment
author

Appreciate the kind words, Katie.

Expand full comment

If the simplest nod counts then what about answering kind direct messages sent to you on Substack ?

Expand full comment
author

Great question, Tess. Truth is, I'm not active in DMs on any platform, haven't been in years. Simple reason. Having been creating in the public domain for nearly 15 years now, as platforms, each with their own DMs, came online, I found that opening up that channel across facebook, instagram, linkedIn and more was just too much for this highly-sensitive person and introverted Maker. Even when what was coming in was lovely and kind. So, in order to preserve both creative capacity and peace-of-mind, I decided to retreat from DMs across all platforms as added channels of engagement. Hope that explains. And so appreciate the kind invitation to share more about my approach. I fully realize that others take a very different approach, and honor that, as well.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the explanation and it makes a lot of sense. It sounds like a necessary and very healthy boundary.

I wonder if there's some way that maybe you could let people know that's what you're doing, although I can see that it's probably logistically impossible.... 🙄

Expand full comment