Love me without limit

I was having a converstaion with a friend the other day and she said, "We only give each other the good parts of us....." Now that I think about it, she's right. It's natural human nature to promote the best parts of us to other people and do our best to hide the bad parts. There is good and bad in all of us. I don't know why we all try so hard to pretend like we are only the good parts. Bad things happen when we keep secrets. I guess I've always felt like if people know the bad stuff about me they might stop loving me. Which brings me to my ultimate question. How do you be unconditional? One of the lessons I remember most from church is to love unconditionally and leave the judgement to God. I'm going to be very honest for a few minutes. I left the church when I was 21. And I left it because of numerous expereinces that still sting to this day. Was it the right way to deal with the pain those church people caused me? No, probably not. But it's the action that I took at that time and it's something I'm trying to sort through. If you want to know the story I will be happy to tell you. Anyhow, I've learned over and over how to be conditional. I had a best friend (or so I thought) growing up that only loved me and stood by me when I was doing what she felt was appropriate. Any mistakes out of me and her back was turned. I experienced this time and time again with my church family too. As long as you are on the straight and narrow we accept you or "Oh you made a mistake? You are out on your own and I can't be seen talking to you or people will think I'm a sinner too." As you can tell I still harbor some bitterness. God and I are working through that together. I'm almost 30 now and it still hurts as bad as the day it happened. Well anyway, my question is how to be unconditional. I think this is a question that our entire family is facing right now and I would like to know how this is supposed to be done.

Webster's Dictionary defines "Unconditional" as absolute or without limit. It is not often in life that we come across people who truly love us unconditionally. No matter how loved or supported we feel there is always a nagging question in the back of the mind that says "If I share all my bad parts with them too are they going to leave me?" Most of us would rather be loved conditionally than not loved at all. I think that's true whether people admit it or not. That's why we drag out all these relationships that are bad for us. We know beter but we do anyway because we want to be loved. In all those sermons I sat thru telling me that christians love one another unconditionally, etc....I don't think that one time it was ever explained to me how to carry that out. How do I love you uncondtionally but still demand to be repected? How do I love you without limit but do not allow you to use me? How do you disagree with someone actions but not let it effect your love for them? I know that our family is going thru a very difficult time right now. I try to seek out the meaning in things. Perhaps this is my opportunity to learn how to truly practice this unconditional love I've been instructed to carry out my entire life. With all of us finding ourselves on the side of the situation that we do perhaps we can help each other love our family member without limit while disagreeing with certain actions at the same time.

I tend to share the best parts of me too. Just so you know I have a horrible temper. I yell too much. I am impatient. I gossip. Sometimes I judge people and I know I shouldn't. Sometimes I say more than I am entitled to and I don't feel guily about it. There. Now you know a few of my bad parts too. If I listed them all the internet would run out of space. It is my hopes to share all of who I am with the people in my life. Whether it is the pleasant stuff or the nitty gritty. I am who I am. Maybe if I give you all of me you will either love me wholly or not all all. Anything in between just isn't worth it.