Love Expressed Is Not Always Trusted
Love expressed …
Love for one sometimes grows slowly, from acquaintance to friendship. As we begin to know each other better there comes a day when a realization hits, and love is born.
How to express the feelings and when? Are my words to be trusted, or will I become forlorn?
When I was a young adult, expressing love was not easy, was not brave enough.
I feared rejection, did not have any confidence in myself, and so I said nothing till he did. Always waited, thinking it was not my place to speak up and confess love.
I was under the influence, in my young days, that to be shy, naive and quiet was a sign of a well-bred woman, men found that endearing and attractive. So, quiet and speechless I was till love was expressed to me. Then I found the courage to respond and trust.
I look back now and realize my upbringing was to make the man feel in control. It was not appropriate for a young woman to be outspoken or courageous. It was the man who must lead and control the relationship.
Years went by and I found myself lacking my own strengths. I was weak and unable to speak up, unable to express my own feelings or needs. Something was not right, I could feel it. Was I to always be the weak one? Polite and quiet? Did I not have the right, or the courage to be strong?
Now where am I? I have learned to reach out and express my feelings, to somehow touch the heart of one I have ever growing affection and love for. Love expressed came from my heart. Each day, each contact takes me deeper into love for him, so I speak up and express these feelings. Do I expect the same in return? No, not at all. Love should not come with expectations.
If I do not hear similar expressions back to me, then I step back and give him room, the space he needs. My love expressed was true. Because I pulled back a ways, that does not mean my expressions were false or that I lied, or that I play games. Love is not a game, it is a commitment. I do not lie. I speak what is in my heart and my love is unconditional.
Does it make me turn away and forget my love for him if he does not feel the same?
No, I do not run. I stay where my heart is. I am still able to love without being crushed
if he does not love me. He has his own ways his own life. And I do not expect him to love me just because I love him. Love cannot be forced.
Love is the most precious gift of all and must be given freely, from the heart and soul.
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© Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved Phyllis Doyle Burns
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I have always liked to write.It is important to me that writing comes from my heart and soul. When writing poetry, if I do not feel a spiritual connection to what I am writing on, I will discard it and go on to something I can connect with on a spiritual level. I live in the moment, I write from the past or beyond the veil. When writing fiction I go with whatever inspires me at the moment - it could be funny, sorrowful, romantic or sometimes done with the use of colloquial language from mountain folk or other cultural regions.
I began writing content online in 2007, starting with BellaOnline - A Voice For Women, where I was the Native American Editor, Folklore & Mythology Editor, and the Appalachian Editor. I also wrote articles forThe Examiner, Daily Two Cents, and Yahoo. I am currently an author on HubPages.
Most of what I write takes a lot of research and I love it. Even if it is a fictional story, I will research for accuracy in whatever it takes to make my characters, their era, their location, etc. become realistic to the reader.
I hope you enjoy my works. Thank you for visiting.
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Nicely expressed Phyllis, of an understanding of love and self and how we relate and respond to the world. Love is our most precious commodity and just experiencing it is enough, regardless of its return. Lovely thoughts.
Thank you, Tony. You are so right – to be able to experience love “is enough regardless of its return”, it is precious and gives us much more than we realize. Over time, I have noticed the love I feel makes me stronger spiritually and emotionally. Thanks, Tony. Take care.
Love or the lack of it plays many different roles in our lives, affairs of the heart are never easy …. I for one also believe in love at first sight…. You wrote this with your heart on your sleeve for all to see and that is beautiful…
Thank you, Kurt. Love is powerful and enters our life in many different ways. The older I get, the more I understand and appreciate love. Yeah, I sure did put my heart on my sleeve. It all just came out so fast that after I wrote and published it, I sat here thinking, “What have I done>?!!!” But, I am glad I wrote it, for I feel a great peace.
Loved this. Most heartfelt Phyllis.
Thank you, Rasma. So glad you love it.
Beautifully expressed thoughts and feelings of love, Phyllis. Unfortunately it isn’t always a two way connection. It is certainly possible to love someone deeply without them ever epressing the same feelings in return. Thank you for opening your heart and writing it down.
Phyllis, I can relate with your feelings of days when a girl never made the first move although she wanted to badly. Times have changed, and perhaps for the better. Writing one’s thoughts on paper is a great way to release emotions. Well done!