Unconditional Love... to me, from me.

Unconditional Love. How would you define that?

Unconditional: not subject to any conditions

Love: an intense feeling of deep affection

Unconditional Love: affection without any limitations

I bet there is something in this world you have unconditional love for. A child, a pet, a significant other, a family member, a great friend, cooking perhaps?

Let's say you have been gone at a long day of work. You come home, anticipating coming home to your beloved young pup. No matter how long your day, you know this pup will lighten up your day with the joy it brings to your life. After all, no matter how your day has gone, you KNOW this pup will be over-the-top excited to see you and greet you with warmth and love.

You walk in the door with a smile, and you are greeted at door front by the one you love... seeing the pups excitement to see you makes you forget about your long day almost instantly. You walk a little further into your home, and find a huge mess...

What happens? Do you stop loving the pup?

At first, you feel frustrated and angry because after your long day, dealing with a mess is the LAST thing on your to-do list. You clean up the mess, rolling your eyes and possibly huffing and puffing. But, as you look back at your beloved, you realize no one is perfect. The pup isn't perfect and it doesn't have to be; the poor thing couldn't hold it, and made a mistake all over your kitchen floor (at least it was on the tile, right?). Ughh... Shortly after cleaning the mess, you get over it, move on, and you love your puppy all the same. "Shit happens..."

That is an example of unconditional love.

Ideally, we should all have unconditional love for ourselves. But the truth is, many of us would give more unconditional love to a pet than we do for ourselves.

If we can say, "oh well, shit happens..." when it comes to a pet, why can't we do that for ourselves? Why can't we easily forgive and go on loving ourselves for all that WE are worth? For all that WE bring to this world and to those in our lives? Why are we not as worthy as a puppy dog?

Over the years, I have had to really buy into the fact that I deserve unconditional love. I don't always make the best decisions, I don't always treat myself the way I should, I don't always take the best care of my heart, mind and soul... but what I always do now is forgive myself for my shortcomings.

A puppy doesn't have to be perfect to be loved, and neither do I...

Love, unconditionally, to me, from me.