Confessions of a confused soul # 12: To Love and Be loved

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Source: lovelifeandgoodfood.wordpress.com

Romeo & Juliet defined love for me when I was barely 12 years old. For the Shakespeare Lover in me, that was epitome of romance - to die for love and the one you love. Since then every relationship I had, I was the giver in it. I kept giving to an extent where one fine day I realized I was completely empty and hollow from within for all the while that I kept giving I was only giving and not receiving anything, which ensured that within no time I was empty.

As this quote says, the greatest thing to learn was to love and be loved in return. I did learn to love but forgot to learn how to be loved in return. And I think that is where most of us make a mistake. We know how to love but we don't know how to be loved. I for instance, am very awkward whenever I receive compliments or when I am showered with gifts. On the other hand I am also very shy in asking for something from a loved one.

This was highlighted to me when I was doing a course on emotional healing. I was told "If you enjoy loving someone, showering gifts and pampering them, you should allow others to do them too. That is their way of loving you and you cannot stop someone from loving you the way they want to. How you feel about is not of any concern here. Learn to accept love just the way you have learnt how to love."

I am trying to learn how to be loved still but these lessons serve as a reminder amidst the chaos of life when I risk forgetting them the most.

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