“We love, because it’s the only true adventure” is a quote attributed to Nikki Giovanni, who certainly knows a thing or two about love. To fall in or be in love has always been the willingness to venture into the uncharted terrain of your soul. There’s no guarantee that we’ll come out unscathed on the other side. Certainty in love is a matter of faith—and it’s persistence through emotional storms that make Category 5 hurricanes seem tame. But persistence is no guarantee either.
Our inner compasses unerringly steer us towards relationships that mirror who we are and how we feel about ourselves. It’s downright scary, it’s so predictable. When I think about the choices I’ve made, I see patterns that could be etched in stone. Once I recognized this, I decided to stay out of the dating/love realm for awhile. My inner love compass needs to be reset for new, healthier destinations. I’m only packing the good from my experiences and traveling a heck of a lot lighter. And expect the same.
Can it be that all we have to do is repack our emotional suitcases? Even if you’re in a relationship, how much do you think you could alter if you just repacked and left out a lot of baggage? Yep, a lot easier said than done!
I’m sure most of us have seen this old Irish proverb:
Work like you don’t need the money;
Dance like no one is watching;
Sing like no one is listening;
Love like you’ve never been hurt;
Live life every day as if it were your last.
You have to let go of the past or you can’t truly love. Ouch!
