12/13/2025
Love is work.
Love is responsibility.
It’s showing up consistently, listening even when it’s hard, apologizing when you’re wrong, and putting someone else’s needs alongside your own. Love takes effort, humility, and accountability.
Narcissistic parents want none of that. They crave the admiration, the loyalty, the sacrifices of others but they refuse to give it back. They want love without the work, affection without responsibility, and obedience without reflection.
Growing up with them teaches hard lessons:
1) that love can be conditional, that your feelings are secondary, and that giving your heart doesn’t guarantee reciprocity.
2) You learn to give endlessly and receive little in return, often mistaking their demands for care.
Recognizing this is painful, but freeing. It’s a chance to unlearn unhealthy patterns, redefine love, and surround yourself with people who understand that love is mutual, accountable, and real.
