Love

What does love look like? How does someone show you love? How do you know they are in love with you? What is love anyway? Love, by definition, is a verb and a noun. Verb: deep affection, to like or enjoy very much. Noun: an intense feeling of deep affection, a great interest or pleasure in something. Love is so much more. Webster’s doesn’t do the word any justice, why, because it makes love sound like some type of…. feeling. A fantastic, pleasurable feeling. As humans, love takes on many definitions. We could use the words of the Bible, for instance, in Corinthians 13:1-7. Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous, it does not brag, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

One thing I have had to learn, is the love I desire to give others, we need to give to ourselves. One of our previous assignments was to write a love letter to yourself. With love, don’t stop at just writing a love letter, sing love songs, buy yourself flowers, take yourself on dates, and do the things you love….for yourself. Do it without apologies. Who better to love, than the person in the mirror. We spend so much time pouring into and loving other people, when the person we should love is ourself. Loving oneself is taboo. Self-love is the acceptance, care, and compassion for oneself, treating your emotional, physical and mental needs with the same kindness you offer a loved one. So, ponder, why are you trying to love someone, when you aren’t properly loving yourself?

Choosing yourself should be easy, but sometimes it is one of the hardest things we can do. We have to make sure that our own cup is full before we pour out love to anyone else. We have to have an understanding of our own needs, before we provide for the needs of everyone else. What does it mean to love yourself? What does that look like? To love yourself means to hold yourself above all others. It means to accept your strengths and weaknesses. It means to be kind to yourself and show yourself compassion. Loving yourself means to make your own well-being and happiness a priority. This involves taking care of your physical, mental, and spiritual needs, setting healthy boundaries, challenging negative self-talk, and focusing on your growth without relying on external validation. 

Assignment: Choose at least 5 ways to show yourself love.

Peace.

🖤Tanasia