I can allow myself to be loved and increase my capacity to love by working on my boundaries. I say that because I tend to unfairly distrust men more than women, and that is a bias.

So it could probably do me some good to not be so standoffish toward men.

But to answer your first question, if I could meet that person, and get time to know and trust them, then yes, I'm much more capable now of loving them back than I used to be in the past. A lot has changed within me in the past two years. I'm more receptive and considerate than I was.

I have and I adore them 🥰

You have to love yourself.
That's it.
Everything comes from that.

I think it’ll take me a long time to open up to such a person. And even then I’d need to be reassured from time to time. I’ve been burned one too many times. But if they could love the insecure, anxious version of me as well… I’d also love them unconditionally.

First of all I'd need to be able to love myself, otherwise I wouldn't be able to trust anyone who claimed to love me.

Second, I'd need to trust the person, which for me takes a long time.

It's all just unexplored area to me. It's hard to tell anything, honestly.
How do I increase my capacity to love? I don't know this for sure but I think being around animals might help. Many are less demanding and less threatening than people or at least we people interpret it that way. Anyway, it might be the first kick for heart to start feeling something along these lines.

I've met someone like that, I suppose. At least he tells me that he loves all sides to me but I doubt that's true, based on his actions. I don't think I need more capacity to love... I might explode. I also don't have a problem being loved.

Gosh, that's easy. Love flows like lava. It consumes everything. That's why it's so powerful. If not, then it's not the real thing. That simple.

Excellent questions - especially the main one.

All moot because I'm too old to start anything I can't finish.

A girl in my town has been hung up on me for decades. I don't have any interest in her she's not my type. There's nothing wrong with that. Women don't owe me anything either.