Learnt Love

People learn how to love a spouse, a friend. Through whatever means available, people learn. It might be of no conscious effort; past experiences, advice from friends, elements from the books we read, movies we watch are all mashed up in our mind and put together as the Way we love.

A happy family - I remember reading somewhere - is the best environment in which a child learns the Way to love. The unconditional love he receives, the security the family provides, give him the courage to love others with full knowledge that should his other relationships and friendships not work out, his family will be there to catch him fall.

Perhaps in the same way we learn to love a spouse and a friend, we learn to love our family. My manual on how to love my mum is sketchy at best. I know her. I know how she ticks. I know what hurts her, what would make her glad, what would bring a smile to her face, and what would drive a knife into her heart. And make no mistake, I love her dearly. It's just .. difficult.