Desire isn't what you think
Stop for a moment and reflect on the things you want for yourself.
A deeply committed, fun and loving relationship
Healthy, self-aware, joyful and loving kids
A vibrant, strong, healthy body
Fulfilling work that easily and abundantly provides me the lifestyle I enjoy
A new home for my family
Now tell me, which things on your list do you desire?
To want something is easy. But to desire is something else entirely.Desire requires devotion and devotion is effort.Not the effort of physical work or all-nighters or sacrifice.Devotion requires your constancy, your loyalty and the presence of your heart and attention. And that's effort.Desire is about applying your inner-self, the deepest part of you, to the object of your desire.It's to give your inner-self over to being devoted to your desire.
Devotion's about continuing even when you stumble. Through the fears. When it seems as though you are alone. When what you give seems as though it makes no difference.
It is desire that transforms the world and your life. Not want.Here's an example to help you sense the difference:I want peace on Earth. A lot. Really really a whole lot.And when an opportunity or a person shows up asking for my support I give it immediately and readily. But I desire a clean, sustainably healthy planet.So much so that when my community doesn't offer curbside recycling, I do it myself and cart it out to a center. I save batteries for a whole year till I have enough to take to a center. I collect trash on my walks because it just plain hurts to see it. It is a daily part of my life. It isn't always easy and never feels like enough. Sometimes I slip. But this has my attention and constancy.And it's an effort.