I am often exasperated by the irony that some people who claim to love us end up hurting us the most, most commonly from our parents / significant family members. In most cases, they do love us deeply, but that love can sometimes come out in a misguided fashion and create a barrier that makes it hard for us to embrace their love. When they impose what they believe is best for us, it can unintentionally stifle parts of our core identity and even stunt our growth - an idea that I had explored previously in “The Bravery to Break Free”. Moreover, if they claim they love us, but it is an idealized version of us that doesn’t reflect our true selves, it creates an “imposter syndrome” - the person they love isn’t me. 

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I believe that true love comes from true understanding. It is not enough to simply “love” someone, we have to make a continuous effort to understand and accept the person in front of us, someone who may not be perfect but someone we can appreciate in their own right without imposing our own judgment. A lack of understanding is often the reason why one can feel lonely even when surrounded by those who claim to love them. Love from someone who understands and accepts you is truly the best feeling in the world, and it is what makes life worth living. The Real Communication of  True Love is Understanding - I urge all of us to try and understand every aspect of who we love, so that we can be pillars of support for them and not be the source of their hurt.