Do any of you remember when VCRs were first becoming popular? The younger among you may not know what I’m talking about, but the older guys like me may remember that they had way too many rules. When you tried to program one of those things, it was something like a seven-step process that you had to do in a specific order, and if you mistimed any of them or pressed one wrong button, there was no telling what would happen, except that it wouldn’t be what you wanted. I never once managed it.

Sometimes, I think the laws we talk about around here can seem like that. Of course, I’ve never been able to follow these rules perfectly either, but today I want to talk about something simple: a lowest common denominator at the heart of everything. One thing that you can use as your compass every hour of every day.

Never go against love.

You’ve heard me talking about living in love in the present moment. This is how you do it. Not by memorizing some comprehensive code of conduct, and certainly not by straining to remember all of my spiritual laws. Ancient manuscripts say that the law that is written on your heart is love. They also say that if you get love right, you’ve fulfilled the whole law. That’s what it’s all about, everything else just helps describe what it’s supposed to look like.

So what is it supposed to look like? What does it mean to prioritize love? In short, it means prioritizing people. If you talk to people at the end of their lives, their greatest regret, overwhelmingly, is not investing more in relationships. Ask someone what they would do if the world was ending tomorrow, and sure you’ll hear some “bucket list” stuff, but everyone talks about relationships.

On a fundamental level, I think we all know this already. Most people will name love or relationships as one of their highest priorities, if not the highest. The real question is whether or not they’re living that way. Ask someone who’s just answered that first question what they’ve done to intentionally prioritize relationships lately and you’ll get a lot of awkward silences. Why? Well, some people may have traumas that get in the way, but I think the most common reason is even simpler: we forget. We get busy with work, with hobbies, with struggling to improve the circumstances that we think will make us happy, and we start to miss the obvious happiness under our nose.

This spiritual law is not something to meditate on for a week before moving on. This is the base ingredient of all spiritual laws. It is a compass and a North Star to navigate by all day and every day. My best advice is to make it your mantra. Every day, every time a decision presents itself, every time you start something new, ask yourself, “Is this in harmony with my conscience? Is this in harmony with love?” Let these questions change your behavior. Make a commitment: “No matter what the situation, I choose to live in love regardless.”

Have a blessed, wonderful day!

Alex Loyd

Alex

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