It broke my heart. Whether it was something Adrian had said in passing or a reflection of a previous relationship, Amila had internalized a message no child should ever carry—that love must be earned through service.
That night, I spoke with Adrian. He was quiet, then visibly shaken.
“I didn’t know she heard me,” he said softly. “That’s not what I meant.”
“But it’s what she heard,” I replied. “She’s a child. She needs to know that your love isn’t something she has to work for.”
The next morning, Adrian woke up early. He made Amila’s favorite breakfast and greeted her with a warm hug as she entered the kitchen.
“You never have to earn my love,” he told her. “You already have it—just for being you.”
Amila burst into tears and hugged him tightly. That night, for the first time in weeks, she didn’t wake up early to prepare breakfast. Instead, she asked for a bedtime story.
That’s when I knew something important had shifted.
No child should grow up thinking they need to earn love. Real love—the kind that helps us grow, trust, and thrive—is given freely, without conditions. And that’s the kind every child deserves.
