Love Comes From Within

Why is it so difficult to practice what we preach? How many times have we looked at our friends after a messy breakup, watched them wonder what they did wrong or how the guy could act so cruelly... How many times have we told them that he wasn't important and that they didn't need a man when they had their friends?

Why do we need men? Because men love us. And without men, who is going to take over that duty? Sure, friends love each other and comfort each other and tell each other how good they look, but that romantic, I love you when you have no make up on and are dressed in pajamas? That love comes from men. It also comes from within. You have to love yourself to truly know how to love. Sure, it's easy to say "I love me," but think about it: do you ever look in the mirror and say "I have love handles, a zit, and my hair's a wreck, but I still look amazing. I still look lovable."

How often do we look at ourselves and say "I look lovable?" That isn't as easy as it sounds, is it? Why is it so difficult to see ourselves as perfect? Or rather, as imperfect, but lovable anyways? I want you to sit in front of a mirror. Look at yourself. Look into yourself. Don't just look at the lovehandles and the blackheads and the slight crookedness of your teeth, instead look into yourself. See the goodness, the kindness, the intelligence, the humor, the wit. This is what makes us beautiful. This is what makes us lovable. If you can't see that, how do you expect someone else to see it? Until you can find that lovable person inside of you, you can't understand how to let yourself be loved. Loving yourself is the way to become self assured. The Beatles had it right, all you need is love. They just forgot to mention that love can come from within.

So I encourage you. Grab your diary, open Microsoft Word, grab a Post-It, or anything else you can use to write, and jot down what you love about you. Write down everything you've done that made you proud, whether it was winning a Nobel prize, or getting an A on your creative writing assignment in the fifth grade. Write it all. Then read it, smile, and love yourself.

Until next time,

Sam