I think that "I love you unconditionally" is thrown around an awful lot. I mean, sure it sounds nice and all but when it really comes down to it, when it comes down to everything that could happen in one's lifetime, would you really and truly be there for someone if you didn't have to? I mean, nobody wants to be there when it all goes to hell, obviously. But it seems like so many people are there for the good and then get iffy when the bad comes around. I've been fortunate, I know my family and my friends are there no matter what happens. Family is a given. That's the one thing you have when everything else is gone. But when you find someone who doesn't have to stick around, who could very well pick up and walk away when you're down and yet they don't leave your side for a minute when it gets heavy, that's a keeper.
I was almost seven years (on and off) into the best relationship of my life when she was killed and I was nearly killed. During one of our off times, I'd spent almost a year with someone else whom I really cared about. We broke-up on good terms and when she heard about everything that had happened, she was on the first plane to me. She sat in those waiting rooms and slept in my hospital room for the two weeks I spent unconscious. She's so damn stubborn and, from what I've been told, it was like pulling teeth to get her to leave my side for a second. She stayed on top of everything and was constantly talking to the doctors about what was going on. She never doubted for a second that I would wake up. She knew once I woke up that it wouldn't be easy. She knew there was still the possibility I would never walk again and that I might not even have two legs attached anymore. She'd fully wrapped her head around all of this and she didn't have to be there for me, but she was. She was the first face I saw when I woke up. She cleared her schedule and overhauled her life so she could be at every physical therapy session, every surgery, the first time I actually did start walking again. I took it for granted at the time. It could have been the kind of thing that re-ignited us and bonded us and we could have seen where it went. But we were young and with youth comes inexperience. We never really gave it a try as a true couple after that because I was in no place for that and she knew it. But that is one great example of unconditional love to me.
I was watching a show the other day on the History Channel (yes, I'm a history nerd, so what..) about the ancient Egyptians and the Pharaohs. There was one Pharaoh who was very much a charmer and could've had any woman he wanted, but he only had eyes for one and it was his childhood sweetheart. It was rare to be a one-woman man back then. He was so enamored with her that when he built his palace, he included a likeness of her in the design. That was also rare. He even adorned some of the walls with images of the two of them. Now that's love. And that's how I felt about my girlfriend right up until the end. Something never meant to be, I guess. But I haven't felt the raging emotions and unconditional love I felt for her in a very long time (aside from for my daughter). I hope it comes around again but you never know.
