We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection. Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them- we can only love others as much as we love ourselves. Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed and rare.
In a blog post last week, I talked about the power that words contain. Words give us the ability to be our most vulnerable selves. They allow us to communicate with one another to express our compassion, empathy, and love. However, “vulnerable love” is not easy. Love is uncertain. It’s incredibly risky. And loving someone leaves us emotionally exposed. Yes it’s scary and yes, we’re open to being hurt, but can you imagine your life without loving or being loved?
I encourage you today to take action in this “vulnerable love.” I encourage you to text someone or say out loud “You are special to me and I am grateful for_______.” Expressing gratitude and love can feel overwhelming and vulnerable; it feels like asking for help. But it is the only way we are able to build connections and I encourage you to spend some time thinking about that today. I encourage you to tell the special people in your life why you love and care about them.
Luv, Liv