If You Love Me

If you love me you will accept me the way I am.
     If I love you I will accept you the way you are.
Are you saying only you can define my love for you?
     But you don’t accept me the way I am, so I guess you don’t love me.

If you love me you wouldn’t judge me.
     If I love you I won’t judge you.
Aren’t you judging me by saying I’m judging you?
     Apparently, your judgeship is higher ranking than mine.

If you love me you wouldn’t hurt my feelings.
     If I love you I won’t hurt your feelings.
Are you saying I can only express my feelings if it doesn’t hurt yours?
     It is clear we have different definitions of love.  

Because . . .

If I love you I will accept you the way you are;
     And I will expect you to do the same of me.
I will be judgmental, but I will not condemn;
     And I will request that you be the same.
I may hurt your feelings, unintended;
     but hope that we can explore and heal.
I may get my feelings hurt, too;
     but hope that we can learn and grow.
Love is not a list of do’s and don’t’s,
     or a catalog of expectations.
Love is treating others the same
     as we should be treating ourselves.

Love is having the power to destroy
     but never using it.