Love Without Expectations

Silver Lining Mama was recently invited to contribute. Her lovely poem on love without expectations is touching. Here is a beautiful poem by Jan of SLM on love without expectations.

Love is not love when it expects something in return.

When it resents.

When it harbors disappointments.

When it remembers mistakes.

When it compares.

When it blames.

When it tires.

When it ends.

Love is just Love.

It simply gives.

It gives joy.

It gives courage.

It gives meaning.

It gives wholly and infinitely.

It breathes life.

This is for my mother who embodies this Love. After all these years, after all the people who have become part of my being, you, my dearest mother, remain the one who loves me the most. I can never return your love because it is too great for my heart to fathom. I can only try to reflect it to my own children, through whom I have begun to learn how to love like you.

I am eternally grateful for your selfless love, for dedicating your life to raising me. I used to worry that when I left you to have a life of my own, to raise a family of my own, I have taken with me a large chunk of your heart, your identity,  your purpose, your life. I understand now. I see it now as live out this love for my own children.

I see it now as I dedicate my life to them even when I know that one day I will have to let them go. I see it now — a child cannot take away something that has been given wholly to them.

I am beginning to grasp that this kind of love, your love, does not diminish even when it is not returned. Your love is never lost, never defeated by distance and absence. Your love becomes alive when it is given. Your love continues to breathe life as it lives on in me. I can feel you in my heartbeat. I can hear your wisdom in my conscience. I can feel your whispers in my prayers. I can see your nods in my victories. I can feel your comfort in my pains. I can feel your embrace in my quietude.

Thank you for letting me experience your love, for letting me know how it is to be genuinely loved without conditions, without expectations. Even when you don’t expect anything, I hope to be able to give back the love by passing it on to your grandchildren. That they may grow up sharing in my fortunate destiny of being your beloved. 

I love you. Happy Mother’s Day!

Give Jan’s blog a visit. There are some amazing posts under the SHE-LOGY section that was initiated at the time of International Women’s Day. This blog project features a collection of posts that celebrates women.

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