“We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.” – Alan Watts
We are just as much a part of nature and belong to earth just as much as plants and animals. We are no different. Because we are so much a part of nature, there is a great deal we can learn from it. One thingwe can learn is how to love unconditionally.
Unconditional love can be difficult to define and understand for some people, however, we can turn to the Sun to better understand it. I first learned this idea from Michael A. Singer, the way the Sun gives us light, and warmth is what unconditional love is.
Before we learn from the sun, we must first “define” love. Love is acceptance, forgiveness, and giving.
You can love everybody just as the Sun does.
Loving doesn’t mean liking.
You can accept everybody for who they are without necessarily liking them. You can forgive that stranger who wronged you, but you don’t have to like them. You can give a stranger your time, energy, and skills, but not affection or intimacy.
The Sun will always be there to provide for us without asking for anything.
We can curse the Sun, say we hate the Sun, and feel like we never want to go outside again, but the moment we do decide to go outside, the Sun will accept us and be there to provide us warmth and light.
That is unconditional love. You accept, forgive, and then give yourself to someone and be there for them. It’s what a mother’s love is. A child may say they hate their mom and never want to speak to her again, but the moment they change their mind, the mother will accept them and be there for them.
Unconditional love might not be easy, but everyone can do it, and the Sun is the perfect example of how to do it. You do it without asking for anything in return just as the sun never asks us for anything.
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