I was just watching a youtube on Jungian personas and masks. The problem, Jung said, is that people put on masks to gain love and acceptance but hide their true authentic selves. Over time, they forget who they really are and become their mask.
The video was about how to remove the mask and discover your true self, but all I kept thinking was “love and acceptance? just for putting on a mask? how can I learn this skill?”
If you are able i recommend getting a dog to get an example of honest love without need to understand.
The same example can be seen with kids. (Normal) Parents love their child regardless of whether it’s old enough to be understood.
Children themselves can just like dogs show tremendous honest love for people things they have no capacity to understand.
What makes unconditional love so special is precisely that it is unconditional. Requiring “something” in order to show love is not love but a social business transaction.