Whether you currently own a dog, previously had one or even if you do not consider yourself a “dog person,” there is something that we as humans can all stand to learn from them. Something that once connected to an individual they seem to bestow naturally and consistently. This something is perfectly showcased by this short film entitled “Unloved,” check it out:
The term unconditional love is one that I’ve started to hear thrown around more often as of late, primarily because of its deep romantic undertone. It’s a bold statement that when said to another individual can really solidify and bring two people closer together. But how many of us when we say it: A) actually mean it, B) can live up to what it actually states?
What exactly is unconditional love?
By my own definition -which seems to come naturally from the known definitions of the two words that the statement involves -unconditional love is a love that cannot be broken. A love that regardless of the decisions, actions or views portrayed by the other individual, either now or at any point in the future, will always be there.
Do we actually mean it?
It would be impossible for me to speak on each individual relationship in which unconditional love has been expressed, but it is possible for me to give us all some food for thought. It’s easy to say that we unconditionally love another person, especially in a moment of feeling particularly close or intimate with them, but does that love actually come without conditions? If that person said a particular thing or made a life choice that we didn’t agree with, would we still feel love for them? I’m sure in many cases the answers would be no.
I’m not saying this to bash the concept of unconditional love, I’m sharing it to help us realize what I believe is the true meaning to it. Which is something that I think we are all more than capable of having for not only a close person in our lives, but for everyone on this entire planet.
The less we set expectations of what love should look like and what it needs to be in order to be earned, the more we set ourselves and the other person free to just be. We become less reactive and overly sensitive to their decisions, we trust and respect the challenges associated with their life and we truly love them for who they are. This video reminds us that if we ever need a reminder on what unconditional love truly is, we need to look no further than the relationship between a dog and its caretaker.
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