In My Younger Years, I Wanted to Be Loved
Like many girls, I grew up dreaming of being loved deeply, passionately, and unconditionally. I chased affection, attention, validation—believing that being loved was the goal. I thought if someone loved me enough, everything else would fall into place.

But over time, I learned something they don’t always teach you: being loved is only half the equation. And it’s not always the most important half.

Life Taught Me What Love Truly Means
After 45 years of relationships, friendships, family ties, and even loss, I’ve learned that the love we give is often more powerful than the love we take. Giving love—freely, kindly, without condition—has a magic all its own. It fills you up in ways no external praise or attention ever can.

Love Is a Choice, Not a Transaction
In my 20s and 30s, I often loved with expectations. If I gave, I hoped to get. If I was kind, I wanted kindness back. Now, I’ve learned to love simply because it feels right. Not because someone earned it, or because I need something in return—but because I choose to live with an open heart.

Giving Love Is Strength, Not Weakness
Some people think giving love—especially when it’s not immediately returned—is weakness. But I’ve learned that it’s one of the bravest things we can do. It takes strength to stay soft in a world that hardens people. It takes courage to forgive, to nurture, to support others even when life is messy.

Loving Others Helped Me Love Myself
Funny enough, the more I gave love without expectation, the more I started to feel peace within myself. I stopped chasing approval. I stopped needing someone else to “complete” me. I began to realize that I am already whole—and giving love is a reflection of that wholeness.

The Beauty of Loving with an Open Heart

At 45, I finally understand that love isn’t just something to receive—it’s something to live. And when you give it freely, when you make it your way of being, life becomes softer, deeper, and infinitely more meaningful.

So to any woman reading this—whether you’re 20 or 60—know this: the love you give is never wasted. It changes you. It heals you. And sometimes, it changes the world around you too.