Unconditional Love, Really ?

Many people talk about unconditional love but what does that mean?
It is simple really , or is it?

Lets think about this.
First question, WHAT IS LOVE?

I can't tell you the answer to that because I don't know what it is for you, however, I can try to explain what it is for me.

First a little background to give you an Idea where I am coming from.
Up until 2001 I did not believe that strong emotions existed. I truly thought that it was "Mills and Boon Crap" for books and movies. My Mum died when I was fourteen and the closest thing I can relate to as far as feelings go at the time was that it felt similar to when I had my bike stolen a year or so earlier. It was a case of well it's (She is) gone, I can't do anything about it, get on with life. I don't think I even cried. I left school when I was fifteen and moved to the city to work. It was in the hostel there that I met a lovely young lady that I fancied. We became friends and we got married four years later and went on to have 3 children. Seventeen years later she phoned me at work and told me that she would not be there when I got home and she wasn't. How did I feel then? Hurt, betrayed, like it was a cruel trick. We had not really had any problems or fights so it didnt seem real. (we are still great friends and have discussed what happened but that is another story). I got on with my life mostly sinking myself into my work and falling very much in love with a woman who taught me some very important lessons about myself. When she left two years ago I was devastated (We are still friends). The last two years I have been alone.

Ok back to the topic.
My ex wife understood that I wasn't emotional. It wasn't that I hid it. I truly did not feel them, I didn't believe they existed. However she knew that I loved her (and still do). So what is love? How could she know that I loved her when I didn't know myself? I knew I cared very much for her. I knew that she was my best friend. I knew I was comfortable with her and was happy to spend the rest of my life with her. BUT I also knew that I could survive without her and over the years taught her and the kids to survive without me, in case they had to. (you could say I did myself out of a job).

So what is love?
Is it an emotion? I don't think so. There are a lot of emotions that can go with love but I think that pure love is far deeper than that. I feel that love is a caring that is even stronger than ego. It allows us to put others first when ego would have us look out for number one. (however always putting others first isn't necessarily love, remember you should also love yourself which means that sometimes you need to come first)

Is love exclusive?

NO WAY. How can it be? I can't think of anything more inclusive. Think about it for a minute. You love someone and have a child. So you love the child. Does that mean that you can no longer love your partner? of course not. You have a second child. Do you love the first child or your partner any less? No way. Love seems to be limitless.

Can we control love?

No I don't believe we can. TRUE LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL. That means that there are no strings attached. You love just because you do. If you can say 'I love you because....' or ' I wouldn't love her/him if....' then you have to ask yourself is it really love? or is it something else? If there is even the tiniest string or condition attached then it is not unconditional

Just because you don't like some of the things they do doesnt mean that you don't love them.

The love I offer is unconditional.

Love and Light
Trev