Another Take on Unconditional Love

This short song by Alanis Morissette gives us another take on unconditional love.

The song is called, “You owe me nothing in return.”

Happy Valentines Day!

Alanis sings,

I’ll give you countless amounts
of outright acceptance
if you want it.

I will give you encouragement
to choose the path that you want
if you need it.

You can speak of anger and doubts
your fears and freak outs
and I’ll hold it.

You can share your so-called shame-filled accounts
of times in your life
and I won’t judge it

and there are no strings attached.

You owe me nothing
for giving the love
that I give,

you owe me nothing
for caring
the way that I have.

I give you thanks
for receiving
it’s my privilege

and you owe me nothing in return.

You can ask for space for yourself
and only yourself
and I’ll grant it.

You can ask for freedom as well
or time to travel
and you’ll have it.

You can ask to live by yourself
or love someone else
and I’ll support it.

You can ask for anything you want
anything at all
and I’ll understand it

and there are no strings attached to it. …

I’ll bet you’re wondering
when my conditional police
will force you to cough up.

I bet you’re wondering how
far you have now danced
your way back into debt.

This is the only kind of love
as I understand it
that there really is.

You can express your deepest truths
even if it means I’ll lose you
and I’ll hear it.

You can fall into the abyss
on the way to your bliss
I’ll empathize with.

You can say that you have to skip town
to chase your passion
and I’ll hear it.

You can even hit rock bottom
have a midlife crisis
and I’ll hold it.

and there are no strings attached to it. …

On Sunday, we celebrate Valentine’s Day and our 35th anniversary and I’ll play this for my wife.

How will you embody this form of unconditional love?