Putting me first

By Ria Talwar

They say love is the greatest emotion felt by human beings, and while it has the ability to overcome all and make life grand, it is a tricky emotion to navigate

We grow up learning that we fall in love

We find our soulmate

And build a home

But where are our lessons about falling in love with ourselves?

We find it so easy to pour into someone else

To feel compassion when they wrong us and believe in the potential that they could be

Why then, do we find it so hard to believe in ourselves?

They say love has the power to make you see the world through rose-tinted glasses

To find the good in everything you see

Why do those glasses fall short when we stand before a mirror?

Why do those glasses fall short when we know we deserve better, but choose to put another before ourselves?

Our heart is truly magical

It has the capacity to feel pain so deep that we could almost feel it physically break

Yet, we love again

Maybe this time a little guarded

Until we feel safe again

And maybe for the lack of lessons while growing up

We learn as we get older

That our biggest love starts within

And maybe when we feel safe within ourselves

We make room for the love we deserve

The love that emboldens us to pour into ourselves before we do another