thinking about the next big steps

I was wondering what I learned most about myself these past years and I came to a conclusion. I think that after life altering events in your life, one thing I have learned is not take myself for granted. I expect that from anybody else even though I really shouldn't but what the hell. I have come to this conclusion because when I have been most hurt, the reason behind all of those mixed feelings was that my feelings were taken for granted. In other words, assumptions were made about my feelings-thoughts about me that did not represent me-misunderstandings and I was not understood.

My perspective then has changed because I understand that life is fragile. I understand love as simple. I feel it and I express it. I say I love you and I mean what I say and I say what I mean. I limit my feelings and vocabulary to the essential. Life is simplified many folds at least from my perspective. I understand the complexities in the world that complicate this but I do not share it because I dont understand the need for so much drama and yet at the same time I do because I saw a need for it once.

Life tends to complicate itself and here is where confusion ensues. But then answer me: What can you do with raw and sincere love? How do you strip the bark of a tree without killing it?