Are You Free To Love?

Many of us say that we want love
We spend tons of energy
Sometimes even money
On trying to find it

But then I wonder
Are we really open to receiving it
Once it shows up on our doorstep

More from YourTango: Are You Blocking Love?

Or do we actually shut the door
On the very thing we want most

Does your heart open wide when love knocks on your door?
Expanding and opening to let the love flow in.
Or does your heart contract, recoil and pull back
Peer out the window, want to open the door so badly, but is too afraid
Of what would happen if it let love in again?

Does your heart rush in with open arms to find and embrace connection in this world
Expecting to receive love back
Knowing that love is everywhere when you know where to look
And when your heart is open to receive it?

Or is your heart cautious, having been hurt before,
So it doesn't let itself open too wide or let too many people in
Instead of skipping through life freely and joyfully
Is your heart walking safely and securely never risking too much?

It's okay you know,
We've all been hurt
We've all had our innocent pure loving hearts smacked around
Stepped on
Looked over
Rejected
Abandoned

And as a result,
You may have built big walls around your heart
So you'd never be hurt again
Or you may have taken all the walls down
Hoping you'd be loved again, if you just gave more of yourself away.

And although you were doing what you needed to do
To protect yourself at the time
The truth is that what actually protects you most is not walls or the giving of yourself away,
The biggest protection you have in life is love.

But love can only protect you if you let it in.
Love can only serve you if you let it.
All love needs is permission to open the door of your heart again.

Think of all the ways that love comes knocking on your heart's door today:

When a stranger smiles
Do you smile back and let the love permeate your heart
Or do you give a fake obligatory smile or pretend you didn't notice?

More from YourTango: Daring Act of Love: Get Grateful for Yourself

When someone approaches you with the offer of a hug
Do you let the embrace fully envelope you
Letting all your body parts touch, chest, belly and arms
Or do you politely offer a few pats on the back, never touching hearts
Or do you go for the A frame hug, letting your upper chest touch but the hug stops there.

When someone offers to help you or pays you a compliment
Does your heart open wide to say THANK YOU! YES! I will receive that
Or do you push back their gift
Saying you can handle it on your own
Or "this old thing, I've had it for years!"