Unconditional Love

Recently, I drove to the beautiful mountains of Colorado to visit my daughter and her family. When I got there, my 6 year old grandson made a statement during a conversation about why I drove all that way just to see them.

He said, ‘Because you had to?!’ To which I replied, ‘No. Because I love you.’

I wanted to drive the 10 hours. Not because I wanted to drive for 10 hours, but because the journey is worth it to me. And the 10 hours back are worth it for me. Because no matter where they live, my love is with them. Because my love for them is unconditional.

For me very few people in my life automatically deserve my unconditional love. My God. My children and their children. And myself. And there are certain other people that I feel are easier to love like that: My extended family and some very close friends.

We hear the words unconditional love and most think of it as loving someone in their faults. That even though they are not perfect to us, we love them anyway. They’re human after all. But I don’t really think that’s the full definition that should be.

Wikipedia defines it this way: Unconditional love is known as affection without any limitations, or love without conditions.

Unconditional love isn’t just putting up with someone who loves us and we love. Unconditional love is going out of our way so that the person knows THEY are loved.

Don’t get me wrong, God calls us to love. We should always strive to act out of that love. But in general, I think the former thought applies here, because while God calls us to love, he does not do so in the context of being mis-loved.

And this has stirred my thoughts, because while I tend to attempt to love others as I was first loved by God, my love doesn’t tolerate some offenses. There are certain things that people do to you in life, honest deal breakers that can and should alter your love. That while your love for them as a noun may remain intact, your love for them as a verb must walk away from. It shouldn’t be an insult to someone to continuously receive your love by setting conditions they need to adhere to in order to maintain it.

I challenge you to really think about that. Love is action, not just a feeling. When you say you love someone, confirm that love by how you treat them. Because if you don’t continue to deserve it, you may not get to keep it. Whether you are the one showing or being shown the love, remember that love isn’t always unconditional.

So protect your heart and your love for yourself. Be kind to yourself. Go out of your way for yourself. Be a better human to yourself. Be love to yourself. Because you deserve to be loved by YOU unconditionally.