"UNCONDITIONAL LOVE?" in "SHORTS"

“UNCONDITIONAL LOVE?”
(Portraits of Reality)

I love you. You love me. We love each other. Just like everyone who’s in love. They love one another.
So what’s the big deal?
We often think it’s just about us. They don’t (really) matter. In a way, it’s true.
However, it’s not always so. I’m sure you and I know.
I love you. You love me. It’s supposed to be that easy. But who are we kidding? We’re still two different people. We want different things. We don’t always see eye-to-eye, although we do find some common ground: love. Still, it’s hard to work on this, but we’ve already agreed that this is worth it, isn’t this? Yes, we still expect a lot from each other. You want me to lose weight, so that I can be healthier – and that I’ll look better while being seen in public with you. Excuse me? I thought you just said you loved me.
You were angry when I asked you to quit smoking, so that you could be healtthier and (hopefully) live longer. You accused me of not loving you the way you were. Well, smoking killed my dad, okay? I still want to see someone I love live long enough until we’re both grandparents. Is it too difficult for you to understand?
I love you. You love me. We love each other. Just like everyone who’s in love. They love one another.
Unfortunately, there are other issues too. Isn’t it always like that? I love you, but they say we can’t be together because I pray five times a day while you don’t even acknowledge His/Her Existence. You love me, but my family thinks you don’t meet their criterion for an ‘acceptable’ suitor. Just like them. He looks me in the eye, his sad expression clearly saying: “I love him. He loves me too. We love each other deeply, but my father’s going to kill me if he ever finds out about my love.” She closes her eyes as she fights back her own tears, thinking: “I love her. She loves me. But they say we’ll end up in hell if we stay together.”
I love you. You love me. We love each other. They love one another. It shouldn’t matter, should it?
In a way, it is. Even when we’re still working our way towards an almost myth called: unconditional love...

R.
(Jakarta, 6/8/2015 – from The Couchsurfing Writers’ Club Gathering @Anomali Coffee – Setiabudi One, starting at 8:00 pm. Topic: “terms and conditions”.)