Even Though

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the challenge of self love and how truly learning to love oneself was not always an easy task. On the surface most of us would say we do love ourselves and yet as we dig deeper we find places of darkness within that still need healing. I often wonder what would change in our lives if we truly loved ourselves? What goodness are we denying ourselves because of our lack of self love? What opportunities might open in our lives if we really felt worthy to receive?

It is on this note that I wrote the piece entitled: Even though. It is about truly leaning to love ourselves even though we are highly flawed and often can’t live up to our own ideals of ourselves. It’s about learning to love ourselves with all of our imperfections.

I offer this to all of us today and we enter the holiday season. During this time we may rub up against our own wounds and the wounds of others. We may be tempted to fall into self judgement or judgement of others.

Perhaps this poem will help all of us to stay a little kinder and a little more compassionate with ourselves and others. Perhaps this is the greatest gift we can give one another as we enter into this holiday season.

Even Though.

Even though you are highly imperfect, I love you anyway.
Even though you have made many mistakes. I love you anyway.
Even though you feel so flawed some days, I love you anyway.
Even though you have meant well and sometimes done the wrong thing, I love you anyway.
Even though you have trouble saving money the way you would like to, I love you anyway.
Even though you move from one imperfect situation to the next, I love you anyway.
Even though you have days where you feel like you can’t do this, I love you anyway.
Even though you are flooded with self doubt some times, I love you anyway..
Even though you have starved yourself and over ate all in the name of trying to fit some societal ideal of beauty, I love you anyway.
Even though you have abandoned your own needs time and time again. I love you anyway.
Even though you are not sure if you can navigate this life you have been given, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been unappreciative, I love you anyway.
Even though you are not as disciplined as you may like, I love you anyway.
Even though you are messy sometimes, I love you anyway.
Even though you have loved those who can’t love you back, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been selfish, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been been self denying, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been insecure, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been arrogant, I love you anyway.
Even though you have remained passive when you should have spoken up, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been too rigid, when you should have been loose, I love you anyway.
Even though you thought you were right when actually you were wrong, I love you anyway.
Even though you have been afraid, and that fear caused you to act in out of balanced ways , I love you anyway.

Even though you are flawed and imperfect, I love you anyway.
Even though you are flawed and imperfect, I love you anyway.
Even though you are flawed and imperfect, I love you anyway.

Our lives are a series of moving from one imperfect situation to the next. We have our imperfections and the people around us have theirs. We have our blind spots and the people around us have theirs.

And so we must learn to love the imperfections both within ourselves and within others. We must learn not to be so surprised by them. They are part of the human condition.

Learn to love the imperfections. Learn to love the wounds. Learn to love the humanity within yourself and within others. This is the way out of the pain.

There are imperfections and wounds within you and all around you. Learn to love them and they will not control you any longer. Learn to expect them. Learn to stay balanced around them. Learn to embrace the wounds, learn to embrace the imperfections. Learn to embrace the messiness of the human condition in all its pain and all its glory. Learn to love that which you deem unlovable within yourself and others. Learn to love the humanity as you learn to call out the best that is within you. Learn to love it all and you will be free.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Hayley Mermelstein