Just a glimpse of me...

My photo
Do you ever feel STUCK? In 2000, I began looking for answers to some tough questions in my life. I'd searched high & low and finally conceded to search the promises found in the Bible. Those promises have sustained & guided me through the loss of a parent, the struggle with anxiety & depression, the loss of a valued relationship and so much more! I've found joy amid the pain. And, I want to share it with you!

15 February 2016

WHEN... When You're NOT So Lovable...

Linking up with the Tuesday at Ten Writing group for the week of Feb 9-15... The writing prompt... WHEN

Have you gotten to the age yet where you look back at yourself in your younger days & wonder, "Why did anyone love me? I was not very lovable back then!" Honestly, there were times when I tried not to be lovable. I wanted to distance myself from others and feed the voice inside that said I was unworthy of love.

Part of youth and part of maturing involves making a lot of mistakes... some by omission and some by co-mission. While we are making those mistakes and poor choices, we are watching others around us make their own. The trick is to
learn from the mistakes and not continue to repeat them... turning them into a pattern of behavior. 

I look back at my late teens and early 20's and often shudder at some of the choices I made... at the way I treated some people... at the disrespect & hatred I showed toward some of the people who loved me the most. And then, I look back upon my mid to late 20's - thinking that I certainly had matured by that time - but being honest... I was much the same. 

And beyond reason, through all of those times, I had a core group of people who covered me with love. Some were family. Some were friends. And, what surprised me then, but no longer seems odd at all, is that some of the ones who loved me the best, I considered as acquaintances -- friends of my parents, teachers from my childhood, elementary Sunday School teachers, etc. Why would these people act like they loved me & show me love - when I was not behaving in a very lovable manner. But, as Deb Caletti says in the following quote:
"That’s what people do who love you. They put their arms around you and love you when you’re not so lovable." ~ Deb Caletti

And, now... as a no-longer-young-person. I can loudly say... I want to be one of those people. I want to love people who aren't so lovable. I want to love people who have polar opposite views than I do. I want to love people who choose to live a different life styles and those who embrace different political views. I want to love people of all ages - not just my peers. I want to love regardless of the rewards or challenges. Many of those I love will never reciprocate my actions of love or support. But, I want to do what people do who love!

Why? Because... that's what LOVE does... it's given freely, without condition. And, it's perhaps the strongest positive force in the universe. 

I want to be one of those people!!

12 comments:

  1. I want to be one of those people, too! :) Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm STILL not always so lovable. But I have friends and family who show me Christ's love anyway. :) Of course ... with teenagers at home, I have plenty of opportunity to love them when they aren't so lovable, too. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha... I'm with you on the teenagers thing! Our children give us one of the BEST opportunities to LOVE in action & deed!!!

      Delete
  3. You speak truth today! I want to be one of those people too-love the unlovable. Thank you for these words and good to be visiting you again today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mary for stopping by & leaving a comment! I enjoy reading your posts & am so thankful to have connected via the Facebook group. Have a BLESSED day!! c

      Delete
  4. AMEN! Marriage and motherhood has revealed how stubborn, selfish, and unlovable I can be...sometimes I realize just how much like my youngest child I can be! Thanks for sharing this beautiful post about what true love really looks like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Christine! It's pretty cool how God surrounds us with people, events and things which can help us learn & grow... and hopefully change for the better.

      Have a God-filled day!!

      Delete
  5. YES. Boy have I been unlovable a LOT. Like the time my hubby moved me away from home and family. And I was mad at God for letting hubs lose his job and get the new one. How dumb is that?!

    Stupid. I want to love more too. And I've a feeling you're good at loving, Miss Indiana, because I so enjoy you! :)

    {I cohost a link on Tuesdays called Tuesday Talk if you'd like to join us, btw! Just hop over to my site and hook up a couple of links, I'd love to connect with you there!}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely need to do that!! Perhaps in a few weeks. Taking a little me & the LOML time in the next week!

      Delete