to love the innocent is easy, as they are deserving of love. They dont have the tools to hurt another, so can be trusted to expose one's vulnerabilities to. To love another human, of the suspicious adult variety, is much more difficult, because they possess the tools, motive and capability to hurt you, should they choose to. Instinctively, one defends against that with all sorts of evasive tactics. To really love another, you must love yourself-which is a dumb ridiculous cliche that doesnt make any sense. What really seems to be needed, is the self understanding and self evaluation of one's own emotions-what do you really need-why do you need it, what does it teach you about yourself? What areas do you need to change and grow and when are you being emotionally unaccountable? Then when confronted by the very real threat of love for another or their love for you-that emotion which renders you vulnerable-you can stand true to that which you are, those needs which are yours-and then their love is not a threat, or your love not a weakness, but instead simply things you each feel on your own for one another, but not threatening to one another. In some sense, it deosnt matter what they feel-because what you feel is perfectly beautiful in being that which it is. just my thoughts though.