Purposeful Growth

Valentine’s Day

Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day in the U.S., a day set aside for recognizing loved ones with cards, gifts, and other expressions of love. Perhaps you’ve been inundated, as I have, by commercial messages imploring you to buy candy, flowers, and jewelry to show your loved one(s) you really care.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with presenting gifts as a material reflection of caring, in fact, failing to do so might result in a very cold February 14th regardless of the outside temperature. But if you want to give the greatest gift of all—a gift remembered forever—give the gift of unconditional love.

Unconditional love never goes out of style, reflects the most thoughtful and caring gift you can give, shows the depth of your caring, and is a gift that very few people receive. And it doesn’t cost you anything—well, you won’t expend any money, but there is a cost. To give unconditional love this Valentine’s Day you will have to give up: judging, controlling behavior, manipulation, ego satisfaction, being right, and domination.

Unconditional love grants total freedom to your loved one(s). It says, “I love you just the way you are, and I will always love you—all ways.” No gift can bring more satisfaction, greater joy, or is more appreciated. Right about now your ego might be saying, “Don’t do it, he/she will run amuck and take advantage of you.” That’s the crux of the issue with unconditional love and why we so seldom grant it—ego is afraid to be vulnerable. Loving unconditionally is difficult without strong self confidence and self image that are independent of the behavior of someone else. Ego says, “Maybe someone will take advantage of you.”

Do it anyway. Take a chance. Give a gift that will truly keep on giving—a gift that shows you really do care enough to give the very best. With a card, letter, electronic message, phone call, or simple declaration, utter the words we all long to hear, “I love you just the way you are, and I will always love you.”

Jerry