LOVE Like You’ve Never Been HURT

Our friend Marc left me a comment on here with a quote he was questioning;

"The best way to love is to love like you’ve never been hurt."
He mentioned unknown author, but I believe its origins are from a Mark Twain quote, "Dance like nobody’s watching, love like you’ve never been hurt, sing like nobody’s listening, live like it’s heaven on earth."

I think the reason why that part of the quote can come off as being somewhat confusing isn’t because the approach is incorrect, but I think we can feel like our hurts were ignored. "What do you mean like I’ve never been hurt, of course I have been hurt! Why doesn’t anyone see how hurt I am!" could be a normal reaction.

The quote is controversial, really. It could be argued that the kind of love we show when we are aware of past hurt is filled with more compassion. But overall, I get what the author was going for. Love in its purest form quite often happens before we are tainted by pain. I believe that Mark Twain quote is child-like, which for most of us was our happiest time! I don’t think everyone has to have experienced pain in order to show love.

It’s kind of like when someone is abused. The person can either pass the abuse along to their next relationship and children, or they can vow never to put someone through that again because they hated the feeling. Love buried without water or love can grow when fed…

For me, it’s been progressing in stages. I can still have buttons from my past pushed and old wounds reopened, but I feel like I am at least on the path to loving as though I don’t have the baggage. But for me, I have had to really take a closer look at what it truly means to love. I believe we are supposed to love without expecting love in return. I believe love is unconditional and free without penalty and interest. I believe love is not selfish and that love only wants the very best for our neighbors.

Overall, I am trying hard to show love because people need it, not because I expect it back. Some days are easier than others! ;)

Great thoughts Marc, thank you for sending it. It’s a subject worth pondering!

Karen :)

"You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love." ~Henry Drummond