Unconditionally

It's always been a little bit of a let down for me when I realize a song that's been playing in my head is Katy Perry's, but the video for this one makes me think twice about that judgement. She seems really exposed here -- no makeup, props, fancy clothes, or flashy bright colors -- and the song has some pretty lovely elements too:

Oh no, did I get too close?
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?
All your insecurities
All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

It's a nice idea, this unconditional love of which she sings, but I once heard someone say that the only people deserving of unconditional love are children. Certainly my children were my first teacher, and my kids are in fact the only two people in the world that I have absolutely no fear around loving. And that's a pretty terrific feeling. It's like there's no choice about it, so you just settle right in.

Seems like it makes sense to try to carry that into a romantic relationship to the extent that it is possible. I mean, there's the difference that as adults we all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves in a relationship. But we can still make the choice, and then settle in:

Come just as you are to me
Don't need apologies
Know that you are worthy
I'll take your bad days with your good
Walk through the storm I would
I do it all because I love you, I love you

About three and a half years ago, I met someone whom I discovered I was capable of loving in this way:

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

Or at least mostly in this way, because I'd be lying if I said there was no fear --at any point in our relationship -- but any fear I've had, then or now -- has always been dwarfed by the love.

Time to take some advice from Katy Perry? Call me crazy, but she seems to know what she's talking about it here:

So open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart

Acceptance is the key to be
To be truly free
Will you do the same for me?