For a long time, I puzzled over a simple truth: why did some people reject genuine love and authenticity? It was baffling, particularly for someone like me. You see, I possess a heart chakra that mirrors those good feels on a warm sunny day. It's been through its share of storms, yet it remains vibrant, bold, and overflowing with spirit. I've been told (accurately, I believe) that I wear my heart on my sleeve. My emotional energy is expansive, it simply spills over.
While I wouldn't say I lack emotional boundaries entirely, I'm certainly more open-hearted than the average person I encounter. This inherent openness led to a period of youthful confusion. I couldn't fathom why some people recoiled from genuine affection and authenticity.
Now, in the wisdom of my late 30s (a wisdom that comes with a touch of amused disbelief at my younger self), I understand. Many people simply haven't been exposed to, or haven't learned to recognize, genuine love in its purest form. They may have grown up in environments where love was conditional, scarce, or even weaponized. As a result, they may not know how to accept it, or worse, may instinctively reject it as unfamiliar and threatening.
For a long time, I internalized these rejections. I questioned my own authenticity, my own worthiness of love. But now, I've come to a liberating realization: their reactions were a reflection of their own internal struggles, not a judgment of my character. Their inability to accept love was a ‘them’ issue, not a ‘me’ issue.
This understanding has been yet another incredibly freeing discovery. It allows me to stay in my lane of joy, observe the reactive, confusing, or even mean behaviors of others with a detached curiosity, and recognize that their actions are more about their own internal limitations than any inherent flaw in me.
This isn't about indifference. It's about self-compassion and recognizing that my worth is not determined by the reactions of others. My heart remains open, but now it's an open heart guarded by the wisdom of self-awareness. I continue to offer genuine love and authenticity, but I do so with a quiet understanding that not everyone is ready to receive it. And that's okay.
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