All you need is love!
By Kate
What is unconditional love?
A child or grandchild reaches up their arms to give us a hug. A young man asks his sweetheart: "Will you marry me". It's so easy to respond in love in such situations when someone obviously loves and appreciates you.
But how about the teenager who is giving you the lip, who leaves his dirty underwear all over the bathroom floor, or the husband who comes in late each night and sits straight down in front of the television and falls asleep? They are not so easy to love, because we don't seem to get anything back, no affection, no appreciation. We might as well be invisible. When we do get a reaction it often hurts - the critical word, disrespect. Then it can be even harder to love.
At times like this we don't feel warm, romantic or loving. We often feel angry, hurt and lonely. Can we still "love" in these circumstances? Can we act with love, even when we don't feel "loving"?
My father told me as a teenager that he would love me whatever I did, that nothing I did would stop that love. He was true to his words, despite disapproving of and being hurt by my actions and behaviour as I grew up. His words have had a big impact on my life. It has meant a lot to me to know that at least one person had a love for me, a love that was dependent not on my actions, but on his will and commitment.
Love is more than just warm romantic feelings - it is a decision we can make with our will, despite our feelings. When we see love like this, then our relationships can grow and flourish even through the difficult times. If we're always keeping score of how well we've behaved to each other, or base our love on how we are feeling, then there's little hope for a healthy relationship.