Brene on Love

       Love is a mystery – one I've spent my whole life pondering, one I don't expect to ever unravel.  I enjoy the pondering, and I enjoy encountering what others write about love.

       Daring greatly, Brene Brown developed a definition of love, intended not to nail down the concept, which is too big to define, but to invite a conversation about love and what it means to us.  She published this definition in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection.  I found her words worth pondering.

       "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."    (p. 26)

       Happy Valentine's Day!