In the month of Valentine’s Day it seems appropriate to write about love.
Love is risky business. When we love somebody we put ourselves out there with the risk of getting hurt. We spend a lot in therapy discussing all the various forms of love and what to do when it all goes wrong.
As C.S. Lewis noted: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung, and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no-one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with your hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”
In other words, if we want to retain the ability to love we must take the risk. Again and again.
It’s worth it.