What Are You Devoted To?
We adopted a cat this weekend and as with any pet, some of the care she requires is usually placed in the category of ‘chore’. Along with the cuteness, cuddles, and playtime comes gently diverting her from gnawing on house plants or fingers and of course, keeping her bathroom clean at all times. This is where devotion comes in.
One of the powers of devotion is that it turns commitments from obligations we might complain about into acts of love that infuse meaning into our lives.
I described devotion to my 10-year-old step daughter as an agreement backed by love and explained that when we engage our responsibilities with a full heart, our work becomes a sacred act of deep care for something we love.
She didn’t know the word but she immediately understood, demonstrated about an hour later when she went outside to shovel snow. She stayed out there until the entire sidewalk was clear, even as icicles formed on the tips of her eyelashes. She came back in and announced that she was ‘devoted’ to doing a good job for us and for our neighbors who were now safe from a slip and fall on the ice … and could she have some hot chocolate?
It struck me in that moment that devotion is innate, that giving ourselves over to something bigger than us not only feels good, it reminds us that we belong, that we’re needed, and that our actions matter. She was proud of herself, not in a ‘look at how great I am’ sort of way but with a ‘this feels good’ sense of fulfillment.
Devotion is a product of our belonging and it strengthens our belonging, setting a positive feedback loop in motion.
Of course, devotion comes in all sorts of forms, from our work in the world, to important causes, to those we love, to God. Regardless of the inspiration, devotion makes its home in our hearts and loyalty and a commitment to stay are the common threads woven through everything we’ve deemed worthy of our devotion. It can make the mundane and sometimes painful parts of life more bearable and perhaps even joyful as it helps us remember our place in the larger story of the World.
What might be different if you connected with devotion the next time you find yourself cleaning the proverbial or literal litter box? What’s possible when you engage your work with your whole heart, recognizing your caring participation is essential to support the world that also supports you?