A piece inspired by MLK...

Love

“You’ll never share real love until you love yourself.” (RENT) Is that possible, to really love myself? And how does that stop me from loving others? I don’t know about you, but those questions pop up in my head on a regular basis. And the answer is simple; if you don’t love yourself, you can’t know how to love anyone else. How could you? True love begins in the hearts of each of us. But truly loving yourself for who you are can be difficult and painful for the everyday human being. We all seem to look at ourselves and only see the negatives, not the quirks that make us unique. My dream is that one day, we, as a body, will look in the mirror and see the light in each of us that makes the world shine so blindly bright. That love will not only be something we feel for others, but ourselves as well.
Children are our future. And in order to keep the love flowing, they need to be shown what true love is. It’s eating an ice cream cone and not feeling guilty. It’s buying that pair of shoes you’ve wanted for months, but were too ashamed to buy. It’s finally saying no to all those demanding requests and spending a day of relaxation at the spa. Love has its own definition for each individual. Webster’s Dictionary defines love as “A great liking, fondness; to delight in, enjoy.” My challenge to the world is that everyone opens their mind to the possibility of self-optimism and realizes how wonderful they all are.
Aren’t you tired of hearing about teen suicides and husbands murdering their wives on the news every week? I believe that if we all learn to love ourselves, we would have absolutely no reason to hurt anyone else, physically or emotionally. To the bulimic ninety-eight pound 16-year-old who looks at herself and sees nothing but fat; may she grow to love the skin she is in and see behind the lies that alter her vision. To the alcoholic father who comes home and screams at his wife and 3 small children after a bad day at work and a 2 hour stop at the bar; may he be guided to a place of peace and reassurance that his family loves him no matter how screwed up he is; that there is always hope for change. To the depressed atheist who just found out he is to being sent to fight for his country in Iraq in 2 weeks; may his faith be redirected in a direction that is healthy and honest, that someone reveals to him the Truth and his life changes forever by the biggest decision he could ever make. To every human being on this earth and all that are to come who don’t see the beauty and potential lying within them, (which truly is everyone), may they learn to love themselves as was intended and that the world as a whole comes together as one and be filled with support and encouragement for every brother and sister through any struggle they may encounter.
My dream is love.