unconditional love – Yellywelly

They are about to say ‘I do’,
three little letters, two little words.
Its the simplest part of the day;
but there is nothing simple about the things that will remain unsaid.
‘I do’ means I do know I could be hurt,
but I am ready to be healed with you.
It means I do want to try,
even when the fear of failure holds me back.
And I do not know the future,
but I am ready to be surprised along the way.
‘I do’ means I do want your love & I do give you mine.
And nothing we do will ever be the same,
because we will be doing it all together.

This was a reading from the wedding scene in the Season 3 finale of The Good Witch, which I am currently working through on Netflix, and of course, you guessed it, I was bawling my eyes out. Partly because they were beautiful words, and mostly because, well, it was a wedding. Everyone cries at weddings. I cry at everything, so of course, I would cry at this.

But these words resonated because half a lifetime ago, I promised someone that I would love them, always and forever, in the best way that I could. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t without its frailties and vulnerabilities. But I gave what I could give, and sometimes, even more than what I could, despite the personal deficit. I tried my best, but I guess, as that oldie-but-goodie James Ingram song goes, I guess my best wasn’t good enough.

But I also know that whilst my always and forever means an unconditional always and forever, forsaking all other and does not have an expiration date, saturation point or limit, it does not apply that the person I made the promise to will be able to love as willingly or as completely as I do. Unfortunately for me, that one person, no matter what, will always have my I do. I also know that my I do (no matter how complete and unconditional) is no longer wanted. I accept that. It is a painfully hard pill to swallow, but there you go.

So now, I am learning to say I do to myself – because I do know I could be hurt, but I do want to try; I know that I am afraid, but I know I shouldn’t allow fear to hold me back; I do know that the future holds surprises.

I have so much to be thankful for today. Not only is it Easter Sunday, today marks 49 years since my parents promised to love each other for richer or poorer, through sickness and in health. I’m sure whilst they were publicly declaring their love for each other 49 years ago, they didn’t know that circumstances in the future would ask for real-time declarations of those vows. But every second that they’re together, I see how they live those vows. I am glad that I am one of those people who actually know their parents love each other, wholly, completely and unconditionally.

God promised to love us in the same way, through the good and bad days, through happy and sad days, through days of feast or famine. He declares His love to to us daily, so that we know, so that we are secure in the knowledge that HE LOVES US ABOVE ALL OTHERS. He even went as far as to offer up His own much beloved Son to stand in our place, so that His Son would pay the price of our sins on our behalf. This ultimate sacrifice is why we have Easter Sunday, and all the celebrations that go with it.

This Easter Sunday, I rejoice in the knowledge that God loves ME THAT MUCH. I am grateful that His love for me is unconditional. I am thankful that God has allowed us, my siblings and I, most especially, to witness the love and devotion our parents have for each other, and to remind us daily of how much His love exceeds that many times over.

We are so very loved, each and everyone of us. I hope that in the midst of family celebrations (virtual or otherwise), during self-isolation and social distancing, during this completely unprecedented period of global uncertainty, we focus on how unconditionally loved we are, how blessed we are to be loved this completely.

Happy Easter!