Since there are people in the world who are really evil, what you want isn't love but an ability to go through the world with your mettā and your breath as your protection.

"If you go around trying to love everybody and then you run into somebody who’s just really evil and really cruel, then you’re likely to pull back into your shell. What you want instead is an ability to go through the world with your goodwill [mettā] as your protection, with your breath as your protection — knowing that you’re going to need protection, but that these things provide you with a protection you can trust."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Unsentimental Goodwill"

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