by Gilda Francesca G. Flores
Love is blind.
We would often see this quotation or saying in books, movies, or even random settings. I have not heard of anyone who can fully decipher it in a positive light as it has become the bane of jokes such as: ah, hindi mo talaga pinapansin mga red flags niya ‘no? or in love ka lang kasi kaya hindi mo napapansin na may mali siya.
However, through the years, after witnessing relationships falter, traumas unhealed (whether generational, situational, or acute), and issues left unresolved, I think I can say love is indeed blind, when we allow it to be.
To let someone tell us that we were wrong because of what we validly feel, to allow ourselves to be silenced due to arbitrary control, and to get lost in the fine line between toxicity and care, these are all situations we have overlooked and failed to address, all because our hearts remind us that it is better show love and compassion, than to stand out for being different, or in our efforts to make a difference, people unknowingly bring us down because they “love” us.
For love to last, it does not have to be flawless, it can sometimes be frank and brutally honest. Those who love the least are the ones who skew truths and present them as false pretensions–an act of anger and selfishness that would not only destroy relationships, but also the very foundations of what we have been fighting for and the things we aspire to have.
For love to be powerful, it does not have to be extremely passionate. It needs a touch of reality as well. When life hits hard and when we are given a choice to better our future and our current situation, we need to burst one’s bubble, including our own. It’s a step forward to making things right, and making sure that the power we hold is not confined to one person.
For love to be true, it must have clear intentions–they must not be self-serving. The start of any relationship is almost always beautiful and heavenly because it is filled with promises and hope, albeit false. When we accept such intentions and wish for change at the same time, we are bound to suffer, perhaps on different levels, but there is a negative impact nevertheless. It is scary how the turn tables can turn so fast when we have bitten more than we can chew.
There is nothing wrong with love, but it cannot stand alone. If that happens, our eyes will always be closed, and our hearts will drift from what they really want to feel–anger, betrayal, or grief.
Today, love has become blinder, and we are continuously allowing it to stay that way.
THE BARRISTER 