Love and Requests

Consider the context of Love as Perseverance vs Letting Go - we're taught that some things are scarce, while others are more disposable - where it can be very emotional to ask for or let go of something that we feel is in short supply.

This can fuel anxieties around making requests, receiving responses from requests, or being requested of.

You can also see a YouTube post on this topic by clicking the link.

Perseverance vs Letting Go

Love has many layers.

One of the areas of Love that I’ve thought often on and find particularly interesting is the concept of Love as perseverance vs Love as letting go.

This varies from situation to situation and person to person, where sometimes we’re more disposable, vs others where it can be very emotional to let something go.

I wonder whether the theme of requesting is central to many of our problems.

Where something seems scarce, we tend to find it more difficult asking for it, or letting it go when we have it.

If we don't ask for something, we often don't get it.

But by asking, we can make someone feel uncomfortable or we can risk having our request treated poorly; responses with the potential to be upsetting for both parties.

Direct questions can be especially confronting, but indirect signals can be especially confusing.

At what point in relationships can we start making requests? When is it too late to make a request?

When is our perseverance too much?

How many times can we ask the same question for it to be unreasonable?

By rewarding assertive requests, do we encourage aggressive behaviour?

By not rewarding respectful requests, do we encourage weakness?

Does power exist in our ability to ask and be asked without fear – empowered to comfortably say or receive a yes or no?

Do we take away sin in the world by opening up our ability to request and be requested things from each other?