self-ləv (self love)

self-ləv (self love)
Acrylic on Canvas

Self-love
This concept has been difficult for me
To grasp
Through years of
Self-doubt
Self-loathing
Self-deprecation
I have struggled with the notion of truly loving myself
To love others comes naturally
To put others above myself is instinctive
To learn to love myself has been a struggle
A struggle that I have been working to overcome
When you've been beaten down
Torn apart
Betrayed
By those you love
By the universe
Worst of all
By your own mind
It is arduous to see your
Self-worth
It is not an easy task to push past
The pain and suffering you've endured
It is even more difficult to rise through
A battered and broken mind
In these times of great difficulty
One must remember
They are worthy
They are loved
Though broken they may be, 
The world would not be the same
Without them in it
The path to self-love is long
And often painful
But it is the most important path
That we must take
For without self-love, 
We will continue to live for others
Opposed to ourselves
And that is no way to live.

- Emily Minor