Sam Keen writes:
We are ultimately at home in the world not through dominating or explaining or appreciating, but through caring and being cared for. Care moves love from feeling into action, from self to other, from getting to giving. When we care, we take responsibility for and seek the well-being and fulfillment of another person. Caring liberates us from modern individualism, where I do my thing and you do your thing, and it carries us beyond the sweet spontaneity and intoxication of the romantic adrenaline-endorphin cocktail into the realm of consideration and thoughtfulness….but…for many, care is considered a drag, an ordeal to be avoided if possible. There is no hint that it may be “more blessed to give than to receive,” that much of the meaning of our lives is created by tending, nurturing, and taking responsibility for the well-being of others.
Love has many faces and caring and being cared for are an important part of the landscape of love. Unfortunately, as the Keen suggests, taking care of another, particularly if they can take themself is often considered a drag for many...but...I can't help wondering how much deeper our love might grow if we "mutually" spent more time and effort putting lotion and rubbing our partners feet, helped with the dishes, ran an errand for our loved one, or did something without being asked.
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