How open are you to receiving love?

How open are you to receiving love?

Is it more comfortable for you to give love than receive love?

If yes,  I have a story that illustrates the value of being open to receiving more love.

My family took a vacation when I was very young.  We stopped at a gift shop and bought little inexpensive gifts intended for those we loved most so they would know we were thinking of them when we were away.

My mother gave me a small plain wooden box to take to our neighbors’ home.  The box had been branded with the name of the historic landmark we’d visited.

Our two families had developed a close friendship my family cherished. The neighbors were kind and loving people with generous hearts.  I was in their home nearly as often as I was in my home.  They made me part of their family.  We went swimming together.  We played games together.  They frequently invited me to dine with them.  The daughter was a close friend.

I held the box as I walked the two steep flights of steps to their front door.  I presented the mother with the box.  My mother hadn’t prepared me for the possibility she might not want the box.  The mother told me she didn’t want the gift.  My mother had told me to give them the box.  I was a young child without the life experience needed to navigate my way through the necessary social graces.  What was I to do?

I knew my mother would be mad at me if I went home with the box.  I didn’t want my mother to be mad at me.  Not knowing what else to do, I quietly left the box on an end table as I said goodbye.

I was nearing the last few steps as I walked down the two steep flights of steps when I felt a sudden sharp pain in my head and heard something shatter.  The daughter had thrown the box at me.  Her aim was good.  The box broke apart when it met my head.  I’m guessing I sustained a concussion.

I reached up and felt blood in my hair.  The mother saw what had happened and rushed to help me.  I was dizzy and in shock as I slowly walked back upstairs with her.  She cleansed the wound and fed me a treat.  I remember asking why the daughter threw the box at me.  I don’t recall receiving an answer.  I didn’t tell my mother what had happened.  I didn’t know how to explain it, so it was easier for me to keep what had happened to myself.

It’s your turn to be the story.  I ask you to imagine you’re offering a gift to someone you cherish.  Your gift isn’t a wooden box.  Your gift is your love.  Imagine you are offering your love to someone, and imagine that someone isn’t comfortable with receiving your love.  They’re absolutely allowed not to be open to receiving your love.

It’s not about wanting the other person to react in a specific way.  They’re going to do what they’re going to do.  It’s about you.  How would you react?

Let’s turn this around.  I ask you to imagine someone is offering their love to you.  Imagine that you’re not comfortable with receiving their love.  You’re absolutely allowed not to be open to receiving their love.

It’s not about wanting the other person to react in a specific way.  They’re going to do what they’re going to do.  It’s about you.  How would you react?

In my experience, no matter how old we are, we often feel like small children when we offer our love to someone new or when we receive love from someone new.  Is this also your experience?  Do you wonder if your love will be accepted?  Do you feel awkward?  Do you wonder if your love will be rejected?

In my experience, no matter how old we are, the act of offering our love to someone new is one of the most healing things we can do for ourselves and for each other.  Is this also your experience?  Do you feel you’re in alignment with your best self when you bravely put yourself out there and offer your love to someone?  Do you feel you’re in alignment with your best self when you bravely receive the love of someone new? Do you see the healing in another’s eyes when you put your love out there and your love is warmly welcomed?

Please don’t stop giving your love to the world, even if it’s thrown back at you.  Not everyone will receive it as you might wish.  Please keep doing what you are doing.

Please don’t stop receiving the love of others because it feels uncomfortable.  Maybe you’re not used to receiving love.  Many aren’t.  The flow of life is about the giving and the receiving, not just the giving and not just the receiving.  Will you consider allowing yourself to become comfortable with being uncomfortable?  Your allowing yourself to be uncomfortable with receiving love may help someone who simply wants to give to you in ways you haven’t considered.

There are many ways we offer our love to others.  We offer our love through exchanging little kindnesses with each other.  We offer our love through placing our arms around someone going through a difficult time.  We offer our love by not doing anything other than being silently present with someone who needs to know they are not alone.

I’m not suggesting how you should or should not respond to my little story.  Instead, I’m suggesting that you take my little story into your heart.  Let your heart direct you.  And let your heart lead you to many miracles in love and many miracles in healing.

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