I've come to believe that "love" and "conquer" should not be used together in the same sentence.
Being raised on Christian values and belief systems, I always held onto the concept that if I just loved enough, everything would be all right somehow. Relationships would be saved, life would transcend all obstacles, people wouldn't be so disappointing, I wouldn't be such a disappointment; diseases would be healed, life would be all that it was meant to be... if I would just continue to love.
After trying and trying and clinging so blindly to the concept that "love conquers all," I've finally realized that no, it does not. Sometimes, and often, love is not enough.
Love can get me through a lot, yes. Love can bring a desire to survive and to move forward, yes. Love can help me to be more gentle with myself and accepting of others, yes. But there will always be those times and those relationships in which clinging to love will utterly and completely shatter me... and I'm not willing to "go there" anymore.
After many, many broken years, I now believe that the greatest companion to love is listening to reason and knowing when to walk away. Perhaps the greatest way to show love - not just to others, but to myself - is to truly know when it is best to let go. Love does not conquer all, but surely, letting go will show me when love is actually worth fighting for.
