Although the act of nurturing another's spiritual growth has the effect of nurturing one's own, a major characteristic of genuine love is that the di… - M. Scott Peck

Even when we truly understand these matters, the journey of spiritual growth is still so lonely and difficult that we often become discouraged.

The act of loving is an act of self-evolution even when the purpose of the act is someone else's growth.

When we love someone our love becomes demonstrable or real only through our exertion - through the fact that for that someone (or for ourself) we take an extra step or walk an extra mile. Love is not effortless. To the contrary, love is effortful.