Our capacity to love should be infinite. We love our friends and our family and our teachers; we love our physicians, hairdressers and caretakers. We love because we trust. We trust because we cannot do all that is required of us all on our own. Surmounting the requirements of life can and should invoke a team of well wishers – our modern day village. We derive strength from them. And we accept their love.

But what of our capacity to love. Do we give freely or are we guarded? Do past experiences jade us? Do lapses in love shown us in childhood and adulthood dull or stunt our capacity to love? Do we fear attachment and hence restrict love? Or, are we lovers by nature and thus able to take risks, throwing excess caution to the wind and setting our sails towards love. Might we overcome the lapses of our caretakers, and those we wanted love from along our journey and instead forge ahead, driven by this unshakeable desire for love’s strength, no matter the courage required of us.

I ask you to contemplate your life. Recognize your bounty. Indulge those who love you. And do not restrict your intrinsic capacity to love. Have courage – in life and in love.

Always yours in health,

Dr. Abha