Unconditional Love
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How sad the rarity of unconditional love is. I'm currently reading Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi and I couldn't wait to post this excerpt:
"My wife was upstairs. Looking at magazines or painting or something, who knows what Daphne does. Hobbies. The symphony in my study was as loud as it could be, but that was nothing new, she never complained about all the noise. She doesn't complain about anything I do; she is physically unable to. That's because I fixed her early. I told her in heartfelt tones that one of the reasons I love her is because she never complains. So now of course she doesn't dare complain."
That's because I fixed her early.
How horribly manipulative of him. He holds his love at a ransom, the price being that she never complains. But we don't have to withhold love intentionally to put conditions on it. We say we love one another but we fear we are unlovable. We tell our partners we couldn't live without them, but distrust those same words spoken back to us. Why? Because even our "unconditional love" hides unspoken conditions.
I will love you forever...as long as you love me back.
I cannot live without you...while you are still beautiful and enjoyable to be around.
You are so wonderful...when you are careful to hide your flaws.
I want what's best for you...assuming it is also what's best for me.
I want you to be happy...because man are you a drag to be around when you're not.
I wish I could look around me and see unconditional love wherever my eyes happen to linger. Would you help me in stripping unconditional love of its hidden conditions? Would you dare love unconditionally?
