Love should never bind you; love should set you free.

“A soulmate isn’t someone who completes you. No, a soulmate is someone who inspires you to complete yourself. A soulmate is someone who loves you with so much conviction, and so much heart, that it is nearly impossible to doubt just how capable you are of becoming exactly who you have always wanted to be.”

Unknown

Beyond the Quote (Day 399)

Chains, handcuffs, prisons—are things that confine. If we were to pick emotions that most matched these confining forces we might pick dependency, jealousy, insecurity. Each of these emotions are thrust from one person to another in an emotional attempt to keep them bound. So that one doesn’t leave the other; so that one doesn’t hurt the other; so that their expectations and conditions can remain in tact over the other—this is not love.

Love should never bind you; love should set you free. Fresh air, open arms, warm hearts—are things that free. If we were to pick emotions that most matched these forces we might pick trust, understanding, selflessness. These are emotions that are bestowed from one person to another that free. They are emotional gifts that allow each person to realize their full potential—their wholeness. So that they can see clearly; so that they can hear completely; so that they can feel with their whole heart.

For, how can you honor your eyes if you’re always being forced to see what another person wants you to see? How can you hear what your gut is telling you if there’s always another who is whispering lies into your ear? How can you feel with your whole heart if half of your heart “belongs” to another? Seeing with one eye; hearing with one ear; and loving with only half of your heart isn’t love—it’s something else. Love is a wholeness that only comes from both eyes; both ears; and a person’s whole heart.

In a Tweet:

Chains, handcuffs, prisons—are things that confine.
Like dependency, jealousy, and insecurity.

Fresh air, open arms, warm hearts—are things that free.
Like trust, understanding, and selflessness.

One set stifles love; the other fulfills.
Love should never bind; it should free.

— Matthew Hogan (@MattHogan123) February 3, 2021

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