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200 words, believe, caring, commitment, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, feelings, friends, generosity, good times, growing up, happy, hard times, integrity, joy, kindness, laughter, love, promise, Relationships, sorrow, will, witness
Love me when I least deserve it, because that’s when I really need it. ~ Swedish proverb
It is easy to love someone when all is well. When they’re meeting our expectations. When there exists a reciprocal flow of give and take between you and another.
Often, we associate love with a feeling. The way we feel when we first meet our life partner. The way we feel when our children are born. The way we feel when someone pleases us.
Anyone who has ever been forgiven in spite of what they’ve done, or felt shame, yet saw love reflected in the eyes of another, or been held in a loving embrace when they’ve screwed up, can tell you that love is most needed when it’s undeserved.
Love – real love – is much more than a feeling.
Love is an act of our will.
A promise to be there – always.
A commitment to bear witness to, and walk alongside another during, their most difficult trials.
A force that takes us beyond feeling and pushes us through difficult times, especially when we don’t feel like it.
And love is most needed when it’s least deserved.
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
talktodiana 
Aww, what an excellent definition! Love to you, my friend! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thank you Rachel and love back at ya! ❤
Diana xo
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I always think of the exchange in August Wilson’s play, “Fences.” … The rebellious son does something that displeases his father, and the son “accuses” his dad of not liking him. The father says something along the lines of “You’re my son and I love you, but it doesn’t mean I have to like you.”
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I have a friend that always says that Jim. I guess in some ways, it’s harder to like someone than it is to love them? ❤
Diana xo
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Oh, Diana, this may be the most sweet and special of your book of quotes. ❤
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Thanks for your sweet comment Mark. ❤
Diana xo
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Very moving! Great post
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Thank you Chloe and welcome to my blog! ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you for this very grounding post Diana!
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You’re welcome Julie, thanks for stopping by! ❤
Diana xo
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So very true.
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Thanks Jean! ❤
Diana xo
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“And love is most needed when it’s least deserved.” Never a truer word spoken Diana.
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It hit me like that as well Don. ❤
Diana xo
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Love this Diana! Love to love! ♥
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Glad to hear it Ute! ❤
Diana xo
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Love can change any situation we are in. This is a beautiful reminder to make an effort towards ourselves or those around us when we least feel like it. That is love. Love ya Diana 🙂
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Yes, even toward ourselves – thank you for this perspective Karen! ❤
Diana xo
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So true, Diana. Whether it’s a soul mate or a friend, it’s comforting to know they’re in your corner no matter what. “All you need is love … ” (Cue the Beatles’ music) 😉
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I love that song Judy, and you’ve brought back a fond memory for me. In grade 5 my class sang that song, accompanied by my teacher on guitar, at our Christmas concert. ❤
Diana xo
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It’s a beautiful tune. What a wonderful memory of it. 😉
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It was the finale to a play where God visited people on earth (our class divided into groups of students representing different families) to teach them how important love is. I wrote the following post about it and my favourite teacher ever a while back.
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I love the story and left a comment. 😉 Best wishes in finding your inspiring and creative teacher, Eric Schachter. 😉
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What will be, will be… thank you Judy. 😀
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Love works best employed as a verb, a word of action. A feeling is insignificant in comparison. 💓
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I agree Jennifer. ❤
Diana xo
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So true, love is far more then a feeling, and sometimes love isn’t enough
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It may not be enough in the way that we perceive it Jo-Anne, but I wonder if it’s always the very best thing we can offer? ❤
Diana xo
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Diana what a beautiful thought. We would not make it far in a relationship without accepting our partners for being human and we all fall short on any given day. I remember what that feels like when we I don’t deserve it but receive it and heal a little more.
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It is a great feeling Kath, isn’t it? ❤
Diana xo
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Diana, this is something that I need to read/hear and feel today. Love should not always be easy. It is a verb. And it is something we should do for one another when they need us most. Thank you.
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We all need to be reminded, don’t we Colleen? I seem to remember to do this when I also need it the most. ❤
Diana xo
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It comes at a very opportune time Diana. Though I was ‘doing’ this today, it’s hard to get others to see that love is most powerful when it’s not ‘easy’ to do.
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whoa! That’s amazing!
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I don’t know that it helped….but I pray it did…..
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Reblogged this on Bright, shiny objects! and commented:
#truestory
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Thanks for the reblog Todd! ❤
Diana xo
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Loved the Swedish proverb!
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Also:
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ooga, ooga, ooga chucka! 😀
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So totally and completely and utterly true. (The great tragedy of my life is never having found that love.)
It’s surprising how many don’t get that love is also choice and commitment.
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True dat. Great tune Smitty! ❤
Diana xo
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Reblogged this on A Grateful Man and commented:
There is much beauty, wisdom, and truth in this post.
With Love,
Russ
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There is much beauty, wisdom, and truth in this post. Thank you for writing and sharing it with us, Diana. I love it so much I’m reblogging it.
Russ
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So glad it spoke to you Russ – thanks for the reblog! ❤
Diana xo
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Such a beautiful sentiment, Diana, and so true. If only we always remember this ! Van xox
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Thanks Van. ❤
Diana xo
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Love is it a feeling, or is it a reaction? Is it something we conciously do or is it something that just happens? I personally feel it is a chemical reaction that just happens, not something that we can just turn off…. it needs another reaction for that to happen…. do I make sense?
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All really good questions bulldog, guess it depends on the type of love you’re talking about? ❤
Diana xo
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There’s more than one type of love? Surely you mean the intensity of the feeling?
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Partly. I think sometimes we confuse lust with love for example and when that passes, love is an act of one’s will, don’t you think? I think like depends more on feelings. Love for one’s family and close friends stays strong even when we don’t like them at times. Make sense?
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Yes it makes sense, but is love not just felt in different intensities? You can love and hate a friend, but the intensity of love will normally out weigh that of the hate… and if it doesn’t the chemical imbalance will adjust your feelings…
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I see what you’re saying (I think). I have had strong emotional feelings before. I’ve never really stopped to think about the science behind them. I don’t think I’ve ever loved and hated a friend. I’ve loved and been angry with a friend… 🙂
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How true and not always an easy thing to do.
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Not easy, but so necessary, right Tric? ❤
Diana xo
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No matter the question, no matter the situation, Love is, always the answer.
Hugs my friend. Love you!
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Love you too, Louise! ❤
Diana xo
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