Recovery Meditations ~ Love ~ One Day at a Time ~ September 13, 2010

~ LOVE ~
:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:
"Love yourself first and everything else

falls into line. You really have to

love yourself to get anything done in

this world."

Lucille Ball

:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:

It took me a long time to learn what

love truly means. I thought love

included pleasing others, saying "yes"

when I meant "no," swallowing my true

feelings and putting myself last. What I

didn’t know is that I was practicing

resentment, anger, fear, jealousy and

everything but love. I could not love

others because I did not love myself.

Then I decided to take care of myself

first. I considered no one but me, took

care of myself, (or so I thought) while

actually alienating myself from those

close to me. I ate compulsively to tame

the self-loathing I felt inside. And I

loathed myself because I did not treat

myself with real love and kindness.

Today I know that loving myself must

come first. If I love myself, I am

better able to love everyone in my life

because I do things from a place of

honesty. If I treat myself with respect,

I treat others with respect. Everyone

wins when I love myself enough to accept

myself, flaws and all.


ONE DAY AT A TIME . . .

I will ask my Higher Power for the ability to accept and love myself for where I am this day, knowing I am a work in progress like a tree that grows from self-care and nurturing.