The birth of our children and now the joy of experiencing grandparenthood have revealed to me a deep motivation I have not really articulated before. It is a sense of hope that we can make the world a better place for the next generation. It is a hope that is deeply grounded in love. Love is not just for my family whom I love dearly. It is for all of humanity. Having experienced such love reveals to me that love is indeed a shared human reality and power. Love for family and children expands to the human family and creation. As I reflect on my community elders, parents and grandparents, I have come to realize that they too loved me and what they did, they did so that I might have a better life. Love is active and it is inter-generational!
Hope grounded in love is more than wishful thinking. It involves a commitment and passion for the good of others. Love is not passive but an active passion. Why do I do what I do? Because my hope is nurtured by the love I have received and known from my community elders, family and children.