Loved!!!

I was spying in on bath-time for what I believe to be the cutest little one year old in the world - yes I am exceptionally biased, but you would be too if he was your favourite! Anyway, while watching this gorgeous little boy happily splashing away in the bath, with his dad playing along, it suddenly dawned on me....
this is love - not the mushy, butterflies in your stomach kind of love, but that selfless, unconditional, I would do anything for you type of love. Having no knowledge of the world other than what he experiences with his parents and grandparents on a daily basis, this little boy is smothered in love - Yes, smothered! I'm convinced he gets told every 20 seconds just how much he is loved; not to mention all the hugs and kisses in between (ok, so I'm over-exaggerating just a little but he is loved LOADS and it's extremely obvious).

At just over a year and a bit old, I am blown away by the full awareness this precious little boy has of the untapped, continuously overflowing river of unconditional love that is always poured out on him (his interactions and confidence are clear evidence of that). And the best part of it all... he doesn't even have to do anything to get any of that love. His mere existence gives him access to that overabundance of love with absolutely no strings attached... No matter how much he laughs or cries; or how much he explores or destroys. No matter how many times he says no - and he loves to say no, there are no limitations and/or conditions whatsoever on how much he is loved. And nothing could or would ever change that! Why? - Because he was created in love, by love and for the purposes of love.

At 20 something years of age I still don't get that - the fact that I am immensely and unconditionally loved despite all my flaws and imperfections. I still don't get the fact that I don't have to do anything or prove myself in anyway to gain access to that kind of love... it's given to me freely, every single day. Watching this little boy giggle as the ball he was playing with splashes the water in his bath, I realised that I have yet to fully grasp the truth behind unconditional love. I understand the concept, but unlike my favourite little munchkin, I have yet to master the art of living by it, I exist and therefore I am loved... regardless! I have (and will always have) an untapped, continuously overflowing river of unconditional love pouring out over me on a daily basis no matter what I say or do. Why? - Because I was created in love, by love and for the purposes of love.

And it took a one year old to help me realise that...