A now deceased relative of mine was an expert at pushing people away. She had few (if any) friends, and by the end of her life had successfully alienated many family members. When once asked if she was happy living that way, she replied that if no one loved her and she loved no one, she would never be hurt. I have no idea what put such a huge scar on her heart that caused her to feel this way. While she may have not been hurt, she inflicted a huge amount of pain on others, for she was dead wrong in her assessment that no one loved her. She was loved. Sad that she did not allow that love to touch her.
Not long ago a man whose beloved dog had died about a year earlier told me he would never get another dog. Those of us who have lost a pet know how it hurts. Then he said, "You just get attached to them and then they die." I had to choke back a laugh at such a ridiculous statement. Of course, everything and everyone dies, but I thought the whole point of having a dog was to get attached to it.
To love and be loved is life's greatest gift. Those who have the ability to love deeply are the most blessed of all people. All relationships are transient and end at some point, and unless you die quite young yourself, you are going to have one loss after another. It is perfectly natural to grieve, to take time to recover, but healthy people go on to love again. It is the ultimate tribute to those we have loved before, that we would love again.
Susan
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment