We don’t always get the love we deserve from others

[deno]

“Love opened up to me a view of the sanctity of human nature, and impressed me with a deep sense of responsibility.” – T.H. Huxley

I read this quote today (Rose post), and it landed in a place I didn’t even know I’d been carrying. Love has always been both my gift and my ache. I lived much of my life giving it freely, even when it wasn’t returned. Even when it was met with cruelty, indifference, or silence. I used to think love meant sacrificing myself...fading so others could shine, even if they never noticed me disappearing. But now, with time and reflection, I see it differently.

Love...true love...doesn’t require erasure. It invites truth. It calls us to see the sanctity of human nature, not in perfection, but in the resilience of those who keep showing up, even when they’ve been cast aside.

I’ve known betrayal. I’ve known what it feels like to be erased, misjudged, and scapegoated. I’ve walked through years of confusion, asking “Why me?” only to finally realize the better question might be, “Why not them?” Why didn’t they choose compassion? Why didn’t they choose love?

Still, I did. And that’s my story. That’s my strength.

Now, I carry a different kind of responsibility. Not to fix others. Not to prove myself. But to live from love, not the soft, sentimental kind, but the courageous kind. The kind that protects, that tells the truth, that heals without needing applause. To those who are just stepping onto the path of reclaiming their voice, their truth, their value...you are seen. You’re not alone. Your pain has meaning, and your survival is a testament to your strength.

We don’t always get the love we deserve from others. But we can still become it, live it, and pass it on.

 

[Ecdysis]

Do you know Bell Hook's book "All about love"? It's an incredible work on this theme and might resonate deeply with you.

 

[deno]

Thank you, Ecdysis. I’ve heard of All About Love but haven’t read it...now I think I need to. This part of my journey feels deeply rooted in redefining love, not just as something we give or receive, but as something we become through what we’ve survived and learned. I’ll check out the book.

 

[Rose White]

Thanks for the post @deno . I want to read that book too @Ecdysis

 

[Lost in the Woods]

Ultimately, love is the only thing of importance. I told my wife that love is the only thing you take with you when you die. She responded with a sarcastic comment. I think she is missing out.

 

[Friday]

Deserve?

Tell me about that.

 

[deno]

That word...deserve...has always tangled me up. I think for a long time, I equated ‘deserve’ with performance. Like, if I was good enough, useful enough, quiet enough, loving enough… maybe then I’d deserve love. But now, I’m realizing that maybe love isn’t about deserving—it’s about being. And maybe we’re all just worthy of it, period. Still working on believing that fully. What does ‘deserve’ mean to you?

 

[Ocean147]

Thank you for sharing. This really makes me stop and think. I'm currently learning to rethink how to view positive love. And walking way from those who do not deserve that love.

 

[Lord Flavius]

I agree 100 percent. I've grown up with not much affection in life and it made me clingy with awful results. I think it's best to bury that aside of your personality.