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Can selfless love be selfish love?

As stated in the Oxford Dictionary, Selfless means thinking more about the needs, happiness, etc. of other people than about your own.
Selfish means caring only about yourself rather than about other people.
Love means to have strong feelings of affection for somebody, something, especially of your family or a friend.

Scenario 1
A lady who is highly qualified and has a high flying career gave up her career to be stay-at-home mum. She spends all her days taking care of her beloved children, teaching them and guiding them. This mum has given up her own career for the sake of the well-being of her children. She has given her earning power, her chances of career advancement and glory for the love of her children. Would you consider this mum not capable? Is it her capability or her choice?

I would consider this mum as a great lady, level headed, has her priorities right. She is definitely capable and it is her choice to take care of her kids when they need her. Her children are indeed blessed to have her as their mum.

Would you consider this as selfless love? I would consider this as selfless love.

Scenario 2
Another lady has to work to support her family. Instead of going home promptly in the evenings, she continually stayed up late and committed most of her days to building her career. After about 20 years of overtime work, she finally reached mid level in her career and was finally given a chance to travel for her job. She enthusiastically grabbed hold of the chance and travelled without hesitation, bragging most of the time of her great achievements and capability, as she thinks she can finally proof to everyone that she is actually capable though she can't handle her studies during her earlier days. She had actually forgotten her priorities at this stage in her life and that her elementary school kids need her to be around to take care of them. I suppose her kids are just part of her port folio of achievements, nothing more. When they needed her, she is spending nearly all of her time in building her port folio and career and her kids just have to take a back seat.
Would you consider this mum as capable? Is it her capability or her choice?
I would feel unjustified for her kids as they are greatly neglected by their mum who is only out to proof her own worth.

Would you consider this as selfish love? I would consider this a selfish love.

No, selfless love cannot be selfish love as these two words are of opposite meaning.

Learn more about this author, Tammy Lim.
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