Is there really such a divine treat as unconditional love? Who might you consider giving unconditional love to?  What would that be like? I believe love without conditions exists in many parent – child relationships. “A face only a mother could love” is the sentiment that tells me that others know this to be true as well.  I honestly feel I have unconditional love for my children. I cannot imagine a scenario in which I would revoke my caring and love for any of them. Perhaps this is because I feel they are my creations in part and that I owe them the support of my love no matter what simply because I chose for them to be and to exist and must therefore stand by them.  I owe them an undying acceptance for whom they choose to become for the very fact that they had no choice in the beginning. I also love my children unconditionally because I believe that is the greatest gift I could possibly give them.

I cannot say that I feel I have ever personally experienced a sense of unconditional love extended to me.  It would be a feeling of acceptance “no matter what” and I have never truly felt that kind of acceptance from any human being.  I believe animals offer that type of love much more naturally and people understand unconditional love through their pets. Getting that same quality of commitment from a human is much more difficult.  Perhaps it is impossible for many. Humans constantly expect,and expectations undermine reality. We expect things and then others cannot meet the expectations we lay down. When one fails to measure up to an expectation of another, conditions set in.  That nullifies the unconditional aspect of the love one gives.

I imagine unconditional love feeling like a warm, soft embrace that is comforting and protective.  Unconditional love is not the turning of a blind eye, but an acknowledgement of circumstances and situational factors which dictate outcomes whether we like them or not.  My impression of unconditional is that it is a gentle, but firm commitment to a being and it allows for change but it is patient and understanding in waiting for the changes to happen.  

I cannot honestly say whether my own children know or believe my love to be unconditional.  I try to stand by this and demonstrate it by putting aside my desires and expectations of them and allowing and encouraging them to choose for themselves.  I also feel like unconditional love means knowing hurts and disappointments may arise but that those should be let go repeatedly. Making mistakes is a human growth given.  Unconditional love knows there are no limits to forgiveness.

What does unconditional love look like to you?  Tell us about someone you love or have been loved by unconditionally.