It's hard to love yourself. Usually loving ourselves is associated with people, places or things. We love ourselves because of the person who shows us how much they love us. We associate love with places we've been or a childhood home. We find love in the things that we've been given by the people who mean the most to us. But what really is love when those things go away, disappear or change? That's when you have to do the hard work of recognizing what loving yourself really means.
I had love. It was magical. It felt amazing. I loved so hard and I was loved so hard in return. We had a great life with a family that we worked diligently to build and support. Then one day, it was over. Just like that. The love left. Sure there were things that led up to it ending, but it really did feel like the love was ripped away and it was suddenly gone. I quickly realized that all that time spent on love and I didn't even love myself. I did however love the idea of my life which disguised itself as my definition of what love was supposed to be. I then was faced with the hard task of figuring out what love looked like and this is what I've discovered.
Love is looking at yourself in the mirror and accepting your flaws and insecurities.
Love is giving without expecting anything in return.
Love is being alone and knowing that you are enough.
Love is falling into the arms of Jesus instead of searching for it elsewhere.
These are all affirmations and statements I have had to speak into myself as I navigate this new season of not receiving love in the way I'm used to. It's time to find it in myself FOR myself.
I hope that as we look ahead, trying to love ourselves, that you will remind yourself of who you were created to be, by the ultimate giver of love, Jesus. He created us each so individually perfect, knowing all the details of who we are from head to toe. We owe it to Him to love the person He created, because in his image, we are exactly who He wants us to be, called to love ourselves before even being capable of loving others.
So today, it's time to love you. Everyday going forward, we are going to make that choice. There is so much to love and you deserve to feel that about yourself.
And for what it's worth, I love you and think you are perfect just the way you are.
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