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A Journey Through the Book: YOUCAT Love Forever
Longing? Rightly so!
For a long time, longing for someone or something was seen as something best glossed over. Being beholden to no one and managing on one’s own was highly valued. Yet, right now, we are rediscovering something: longing is a compass. It points to what your heart is seeking.
Why we long
However, longing is often uncomfortable, too. It reminds us that we are incomplete—that something is missing—and it opens the door to the fear that our ideas about what is missing won’t match reality. That is why we often learn early on to suppress it: wanting nothing too much, needing no one too much, and protecting ourselves before we can be disappointed.
Yet longing is an innate signal that we are made for relationships and genuine closeness. Sometimes, you can barely feel this longing anymore. You have learned to protect yourself by not hoping in the first place. If the word “love” leaves you cold rather than moved, that is not a judgment on you. It is usually the result of experiences that taught you to be cautious.
The crucial question we can all ask ourselves repeatedly throughout our lives is: “What taught me to protect myself, and can I let go of that protection, piece by piece, today?”
Longing as a driving force
Think of longing as fuel: it isn’t the destination itself, but without it, no rocket gets off the ground. Longing sets you in motion—moving you toward genuine relationships and growth. And if you listen honestly to your inner self, you will realize: behind the longing for another person often lies a greater longing—for unconditional acceptance, for a gaze that sees the whole of you. For God and His love—the only love that never reaches its limits.
What do you truly long for?
Take a moment to understand your longing:
- What do I long for most right now? Closeness, being understood, or peace?
- When was the last time I allowed myself to acknowledge this longing instead of glossing over it?
- If I were to believe that this longing is a good compass, where would it lead me?
Would you like to delve deeper into this? Read the pages “Love and Longing” (p. 22), “Learning to Love” (p. 23), “Love – Something Fleeting” (p. 24), “What If Love Leaves You Cold” (p. 27), “Life Without Love?” (p. 42), and “Do We Need God?” (p. 43). Also, read the chapter introduction (pp. 20–21), which includes the quote from Francis in *Amoris Laetitia* 208.
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