“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa

I was always told I write best when I’m angry and given the multitude of things happening in the world, there’s always something to be angry about.

Anger is an easy emotion to get at and once it ignites, allows one voice to come through. Many writers seek pain as their primary emotion and speak from there.

It’s only until recently, however, something else brewed beneath the surface. 

It was something that required many years of dedication and patience, but the understanding of it has bubbled through the well of other emotions. Speaking of love is common and can easily be cliche, but when a labour comes from that well of human mystery, something inspiring comes forth.

Love is something beyond emotion that has enough power to bring the world to its knees. The greatest philosophers, mystics, artists and romantics can only speak of it as a character, but are able to produce masterful works in response to its calling.

Doing something from a labour of love gives an essence to the work. It has a different feeling to it and audiences respond to it in a different way.

A movie director who works out of a love of what they do (or story they’re trying to show) will outshine a director working strictly for the cash grab. They may both get paid well, but it will be the former who gets asked to do another film.

Magicians who are in it for money or attention never last. Those who are willfully ignorant of the business side of their art don’t last either.

Doing it for the love of the art also demands you are willing to work for it. Another way to phrase labour of love is to say love is a labour. Just ask couples who have been together for over twenty years.

Yes, there will always be something to be angry about and something painful to happen. However, it’s love that keeps you coming back for more.

It’s what keeps me coming back to the keyboard.