“If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain” ~ Emily Dickinson
How are you choosing to live your life…
“If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain.”
This aching beautiful quote of Emily Dickinson’s comes from a poem that reads…
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
To stop a heart from breaking, to ease someone’s pain, to reach out and soothe is one of the most lovely and loving acts of humanity.
We each of us longs to not live in vain. To have a point, a purpose, a reason to be here. Why not make that reason one of love, one of softness and reassurance? And why not start with yourself?
What if that one heart you stop from breaking, that one life you ease of aching, that one pain cool is yours?
You are worth all of the reassurance, all of the ease and grace and forgiveness – time and time again. By reaching out to yourself and providing the comfort and encouragement you need, you are giving yourself purpose and drive. When you have those things, life begins to flow for you in ways you may not have thought possible and you’ll find yourself engaging in ways that fill you up with goodness.
The more you do this, the more you’ll have and the more you’ll find yourself spreading it outward. You’ll begin to ease other’s pain, stop their hearts from breaking, and share a sense of hope and encouragement. The more this becomes habit, the richer and more delightful your life will become and before you know it, you’ll never question if you’ve been living in vain.
Life is what you choose to make of it, whether you are aware of your choices or not. Become mindful and start treating yourself with love and gentleness and forgiveness. Let the one heart you stop from breaking be your own. Cool your pains with soothing softness and allow yourself to fully be the fragile, messy, loving, strong, silly, playful, sometimes mean, sometimes forgetful, always imperfect, crazy, happy, sad, and everything else possible, human being that you are.
You’re amazing and I hope you know that!
Namaste ~ Ella
~ Affirmation Mondays are positive words of wisdom, insight and joy to add a bit of cheer to the start of your week and any day you need a bit of a pick-me-up! For even more inspiration please check out my Affirmation Mondays Pinterest Board and my Quote-spirational Board!
Lawhimsy 