start with love

my friends children, but their family too...

to love

and to be loved.

to hold a hand

and to have my hand held.

to share life

and to share my life.

that's pretty much it.

that's pretty much 

all anyone wants.

doesn't much matter 

if you are 

black or white

straight or gay

married or single

rich or poor

legal or undocumented

liberal or conservative

fundamentalist or conservative

filled with joy 

or filled with grief.

when you strip away 

all the stuff we carry in life

all the stuff we hide behind

all that really 
matters is: 

love and be loved.

hold and be held.

share your life

so i can share my life. 

in our best moments we speak GOD'S intentions:

we welcome without condition

we allow you to come the way you are

we aren't afraid of questions or doubts

we embrace diversity

we reflect diversity

we love.

in our less than better moments we fall short:

"why are you doing it that way....

it's just wrong."

"we welcome you...

but we already do things really well. 

just keep that in mind." 

"we welcome you....

but you will have to change if you want to stay."

all anyone wants is to love

and be loved.

but for some 

love is not enough.

some say 

if you come as you are 

we can't love you as you are.

if we did

then you would not grow

you would not mature

you would not deepen in faith.

and yet

if you don't love me

the way i am

the way i come

how can i 

trust your love?

if i am to grow

mature

deepen in faith

if you are to grow

mature 

and deepen in faith

then you

then i 

must first love.

start with love.

love 

without condition.

start with love

not with 

conditions 

or explanations

or expectations.

start with love.

if we cannot be loved

then we cannot love

if we cannot love

we cannot be loved. 

start with love.