Unconditional Love

Did you ever see such a look of unconditional love? As you may have noticed from my last blog post "Putting on a Brave Face" I've been facing some trying times. With these trying times, I've been feeling unattractive and well...to be honest a bit unlovable. Although I know that is not true, at times those feelings creep up. So, to help myself heal and remind myself of how much love I have around me and within me - I'm going to post photographs of times that remind me of the wonderfulness of giving and receiving love. This photo came to mind right away. I was trying to get Sparky to look at the camera but all he wanted to do was adore me. How wonderful is that?

I'm also reading a book called True Love and I'll post something from it each day, as well as something from a book I'm reading about healing a broken heart. So, my theme for the upcoming weeks is going to be a bit self-indulgent. Well, more self-indulgent than a blog about myself is anyhow. I'm laughing at that notion.

According to Buddhism there are four elements of true love. Today I'll focus on the first which is called Maitri which means loving-kindness or benevolence. Maitri is both the desire to bring joy and happiness to the one(s) you love via loving and kind acts, but also the ability to bring joy and happiness to the one(s) you love. According to Buddhism it takes training to love properly. One way to train yourself to love properly is to practise looking deeply into the person(s) you love to truly see and understand them. It is in this understanding of who that person is that enables one to have the ability to bring forth joy and happiness to that person. Because you will truly understand what their needs are and have both the desire and ability to meet those needs. Without understanding love is impossible, but love is a true thing when it is made up of understanding. (True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh)

In your relationship be sure to look at the one you love to truly understand who they are. Conversely, ask yourself is that person truly loving you and understanding who you truly are.
If you are nursing an aching heart right now, just remember if your beloved isn't able to see and appreciate the fantastic person you are than don't let the door hit them on the way out.

More to come tomorrow I'll post about the second element of true love, compassion.

Have a day full of loving kindness by expressing to someone you love an interest in understanding who they truly are.

I feel the need to call this "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy" from the old SNL skit.(lol)