"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them." (Thomas Merton) True love wants the best for the other for the sake of the other, not for my sake. Selfish love does not accept the other as the other is. Without acceptance of the other with their strengths and weaknesses there can not be life-giving love. God loves us as we are here and now. He sees our weaknesses but is not blocked by them. For he knows that true love and acceptance will free us to change, while non- acceptance makes us defensive and nonresponsive. The love shown to us by God is the love we must give to others for us to truly love.