Love is Dangerous

A lot of the definitions we get fed about love really boil down to “no boundaries”. Love is often perceived and portrayed as endless generosity with no care or consideration for yourself. Love is viewed as being selfless and at the service of anyone you could perceive to “need” you.

All of this might be love, but it also might be a convenient way to make sure everyone is too drained and depleted to meaningfully engage with life with an open heart. And by that I don’t mean a heart that’s always open; but a heart that’s discerning and wise and responsive. A heart that wants the real thing, the whole truth, and nothing less. 

Being in relationship with my heart means knowing when I’ve had enough. When doing something that might be perceived as “loving” is no longer loving to myself. It means recognizing the totality of my experience and not trying to stifle ANY of it. Not the shame, not the rage, not the fear, not the poor decisions; all of those things can be held and loved and listened to. And I think that’s what love would do. I think that’s what love calls us to do; face it, hold it, and deeply listen. 

When you realize that’s the end game; then the distorted definitions of love make sense. How often are we told that love means “forgive those who oppress you”. That doesn’t sound like love, that sounds convenient. That sounds like a short cut to a dead end. 

I think love would have us hold, and witness, and love; everything that stops us from embodying love. And that love would call us to become everything we have always been. 

Love has always been dangerous to the status quo. 

Because the status quo is untenable in a world that knows love. 

What they told us about love

was meant to keep love from us.

Because real love?

Is dangerous…to the way it is.

Image made incorporating photography by Vincentiu Soloman via Unsplash.