I love you but I do not like you

"You cannot love someone you do not like" I hear you cry.

We must agree to disagree.

I love everyone, and when I say everyone I even mean the orange man (I hope we all know who I am referring to).

And when I say love I mean past all the layers upon layers that he has curated over his lifetime to the sad, scared, unhappy and lonely little boy hiding underneath.

I can see past his facade to his inner child and see that everything he does is a reaction. It's a toddler having a tantrum, a baby throwing their toys out of the pram, a small child desperate for recognition and acceptance.

Does that mean I excuse his behaviours? That I believe it justifies anything he says or does? That I would like to sit down and have a cuppa with him?

Absolutely not.

I do not like the man. I do not agree with a single thing he has ever said or done. Frankly I think he's a w**nker of the highest order.

BUT

I understand him. I understand why he is the way he is, I can see through the mask and I can love him despite it all.

Because true unconditional love is loving someone despite it all.

Again, I shall repeat, this does not mean condoning their behaviour, it does not mean putting up with abuse, neglect, violence, manipulation, or any derogatory or nasty actions of any kind.

We cannot remove ourselves from a hateful world with more hate.

The only way to evolve out of a fearful and hateful world is with love, and empathy, compassion and understanding.

So that is what I mean when I say I can love you but I don't like you.

I can see through your bullshit that I don't like to the soul within and I can love that soul, that true essence of you that I know exists, whilst also wanting nothing to do with the surface version of you that you portray.

And I trust that the more we quietly love each other, the more the world will shift and change, and the more we will see love prevailing over fear.

Much love,

Matilda 💚