All you need is (self) love

I believe that all you need is love - love of self, that is.

When I was a little kid, Sister Stella said that you couldn't love anyone until you loved God. Well, of course, that was just one more aphorism that I could not get my mind around at 10 years old, but a few years later that phrase transformed to 'you can't love anyone until you love your Self (the capitol 'S' is a recent modification).

When the Beatles put out 'All You Need is Love', I had a hard time with that, as well. Right in the middle of my first nasty relationship break-up, I was pretty sure that they couldn't be right, because I certainly loved her, and she trashed the relationship, so...

Fast forward a lot of years, and now I know they were right, but they failed to underscore that you have to love your Self before attempting to connect in a healthy way with another. I also now believe that what passes for romantic love is, for many, really fear. It sure was for me all those decades ago.

I was afraid that I wasn't enough, but if she loved me, maybe I was ok. My love, then, was more akin to OC devoted to maintaining the illusion at all costs to keep the fear of inadequacy at bay.

Needless to say, that didn't work too well, and when she escaped, I was left with what I thought I was - nothing.

It took a lot of time and the help of five amazing people, but I believe I finally get it. A wise woman once opined that you can live in fear or you can live in love.

I choose love. I'm ok enough, and it feels pretty nice to be able to shine your Self love on another and have it reflect back on you.

Thank you all for helping me find that Sister Stella was saying, probably unknowingly, that I am, as are we all, God, worthy of the honest love from within and without.