There are people in this world who are overwhelmingly generous with their hearts. They are the type willing to freely give love and sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. These people go above and beyond for those they care about, not because they expect anything in return, but because it is fulfilling to them to know they’re making someone happy.

I am one of these people and I feel it is my greatest strength, but also my Achilles heel. Too many times have I loved people with everything I have just to have them throw it by the waste side. This is not to say that when I give my love I expect to have love returned, I don’t.

I just expect the unconditionality of my affection to, at the very least, be respected.

There is already a lack of love in the world and too many people are afraid to love, to the best of their ability, for fear of rejection or being taken advantage of. Too often do people experience the free love I offer and abuse it.

They take advantage of my willingness to sacrifice and allow me to wear myself thin trying to make them happy. That, or the amount of love I have to give is intimidating for them and they break my heart by throwing it away altogether.

It is painful to be this way but I refuse to change the way I am. As desperately as I want to build walls to guard my heart, I will not. Those walls may keep out the pain, but they keep love out as well. I don’t want to harden my heart to the world because I feel my ability to give people an unconditional companionship is a unique characteristic, special even.

Though, I’ve come to the realization that some people don’t deserve to be loved this way. Those who take advantage or are scared of it simply shouldn’t receive it. It’s not fair for me to constantly subject my heart to loving people who don’t appreciate it.

I must be more picky about who receives the fullness of my heart. I must be more aware of when my love is being taken for granted or when I am being taken for granted. I will not build a wall but install a gate, simply to prevent those too lazy to unhinge the lock from immediately accessing my heart.

Yes, I will build a gate, but this will not stop me from loving to the fullest and I will not stop giving everything I have to those that deserve it. I just need a little protection because living with a broken heart gets old.

If you are like me and have a tendency to get your heart broken by the people who have no appreciation for your love, then it’s time to put up your gate. Never change the way you love people. Ever. It’s a beautiful gift of a character trait and to the people in your life who know what a gift it is, your love means the world to them. Don’t stop pouring your love into this lackluster world, just be more careful who you pour it over.