Un-Loving is Impossible

Dear People of the Page, Un-loving is impossible. You can't un-know love. You can't un-know memories. You can't un-know connections and shared experiences. It's impossible. It's kinda like this; when we lose somebody (through all the ways that we can lose somebody), even if it hurts more than you can imagine; and even when the pain sub-sides; I couldn’t un-know that love. The love is always there, just as strong as it always was. Love after love, my heart becomes stronger. With each loss, a new layer of muscle rebuilds over the last. With a stronger heart, a stronger love, and a new, different, more beautiful cycle is born. Crazy, isn’t it? I leave a piece of my heart with every person that I love. Yet, instead of my heart getting smaller, my heart gets stronger. I think that's because the heart, like any other muscle, gets strong with use. And, you can't have anyone to yourself, really. That's impossible, unless they grew in a sterile box and walk around with a closed off heart. Why would anyone expect that of someone that they love? Parts of them will always be with other people. That is how love works. Don't be a "Love Blocker". Exercise your heart. Love with every opportunity. Be readily prepared to open that beautiful heart muscle when the charming man of your dreams or a beautiful starlet arrives. Or even the UPS guy. Even when hurt, it's possible to build the heart muscle from use. Yes, our heart can feel weakened by the sting, but it’s still capable of all the strength it had before. A strong, exercised, loving heart is more prepared to absorb hurtful blows than weak attempts to hide it from the world. Even a wounded heart continues to nourish our body and soul. Grow your heart by learning from the pain and continuing on. Continue on as before, loving as deeply as you can. The more you are willing to open to love, the more strength your heart contains and builds. Love. Experience. Love. Risk. Love. Love more. Imagine your heart as a beautiful fortress. When something approaches, let it in just as a fortress drawbridge lets in its guests. Let your still loving heart’s strength protect you from emotional attacks, catapulting letdowns, and poisonous relationships, like the stone walls of those ancient fortresses. You see, walls are built stone by stone. Let your stones be loving acts both given and received, instead of compounding defense mechanisms. Give and be grateful for receiving each piece of strength to your wall, knowing there’s still a drawbridge. I hope there is something here for you.

With so much love, Pamela Madsen P.S. Did you see we announced two new retreats for 2023? Including one that's great for stepping in for the first time, practicing opening that drawbridge...