Unconditional
Love
“The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be
perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If
in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness
to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of
ourselves we find in them.” Thomas Merton
Love is
one of the most beautiful emotions granted to man and is often the least
understood emotion. There is a fine line between attachment and pure love.
Attachment is laden with expectations, disappointment and is all about you
rather than the person being loved because attachment imposes conditions on the
love being given. Whereas pure love is about acceptance, understanding and
without expectations. Unconditional love creates space for another to blossom, feel nurtured and alive.
We can
love unconditionally only when we accept another completely for who they are.
Everyone is a package of good and bad, likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow. Often, when we shower love, expectations start building up. We sometimes
forget to pause and reflect whether the other person is capable of living up to our perceived standards and expectations. Everyone’s expression of love is
different. In a traditional way of thinking, mothers express by taking care of
a home and family, fathers express their love by providing security, children
express their love by giving joy and laughter and teachers through guidance and
so on. Each person expresses their love by playing their role. Can we accept their way of loving and just enjoy it rather than judge it?
Our true nature is selfless and unconditional. We often forget our humanness and look for perfection in people. This causes stress in a relationship and the expression of love starts to diminish. Love has the capacity to blossom or crush a person depending upon how it is expressed. In fact, any attachment binds us and hinders our evolution and growth as a human being. Love yourself unconditionally and it immediately frees you to love others as well.
“Truly
loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance,
even celebration of another’s personhood.” Karen Casey
