When you send back Love

by | Mar 16, 2022 | poems, posts | 6 comments

When people negatively attack each other, if somebody takes that negative energy and feeds upon it and throws that back out as negative energy, it just becomes this vicious cycle where we keep focusing on the other person and attacking each other. But when all you do is send back love, it acts like a mirror. And after awhile, instead of looking at it as a means of attacking the other, they’re seeing themselves. And what they’re seeing isn’t very nice – they’re being really, really mean to someone who won’t stoop to that level. That’s when magical change starts to happen. When things got mean for me up in the tree, as they did when they put me under security siege, I would simply recall the lyrics of a song I remember from my childhood, and I would sing it to them:

Love in any language, straight from the heart

Pulls us all together, never apart

And once we learn to speak it
All the world will hear
That love in any language
Is fluently spoken here

Though the rhetoric of governments
May keep us worlds apart
There is no misinterpreting

The language of the heart

 

From an interview with Mark Sommer, KHSU program Alternative Review, recorded while in Luna, September 22, 1998

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6 Comments

  1. Rauny Worm

    Thank you! Just waking up to a new day and will take these words with me..The negativity and frailty of the world are just so overwhelming at times.
    XxRauny

  2. Darrell Laurant

    Dear Julia:

    I’m currently finishing a book titled “Conflict & Commonality: Two Sides of Today’s America.” I’ve published four others, most recently “Inspiration Street” (listed on Amazon), but this one is different. I chose those other books — this one chose me.

    Anyway, the second half of this book highlights incidents of “commonality” in which someone reaches out to someone else despite differences in politics, religion, lifestyle, etc. I just finished reading “Legacy of Luna” (which I loved) and came across the wonderful anecdote in which you dropped your photo down to the lumberman below to show him you were a real person. If you don’t mind, I’d like to use that — it would give your work a little publicity, as well.

    Best regards,

    Darrell Laurant

    P.S. I’m a former newspaper reporter and columnist who once interviewed you when you spoke at Sweet Briar College.

    • Julia Butterfly Hill

      i am sorry Darrell that i somehow missed this reply from you until now. i am sure this reply is probably too late. Although, i do not need any publicity, you can use that story if it is still relevant.

      In service of Love in Action,

      julia

  3. T Montgomery (Monty) Foley

    Howdy Julia, I remember wayyyy back in the day when you circulated a newsletter after your Luna experience and I was very happily on your mailing list then and I’m sure I still have a few copies of it sitting around here someplece piled away,filed away. I don’t recall the name of your newsletter,but I was so moved,so touched and so impressed with your love,commitment and fortitude that I composed a nice poem in tribute,honor and dedication to you and Luna and submitted it to your newsletter and if I’m not mistaken I think it was good enough to make print. (but don’t quote me on that) Anyhow…my question is do you still print and circulate that excellent newsletter AND what does a person hafta do to gain acceptance onto/into your FB friends list? I have been a devoted supported of you and your worth cause ever since the early days and would love to be included in that number. PS. I do follow you on FB and just wanted to say Thanks to you,keep up the great work.Never back down.Stay safe,healthy and happy and above all else always keep your powder dry. P&L,TMF 🙂 <3

    • Julia Butterfly Hill

      Thank you for your thoughtful message TMF. i no longer have a newsletter. All the very best.

      julia

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