YOU Always Come Around

In my darkest moments—inch by inch—she makes her way closer

Looks deep into my tearful eyes and whispers without words “I am here”

As if her body pressed against mine can protect me from the pain I feel inside

One paw, one snout, and in quiet possession

She commands me to stop to let her love in

The comfort of a thousand souls is no match to the unconditional love of a four legged animal

For animal she is not, a better word reserved for the one who hurt me most

She has been placed in my path by design, by the divine

She always comes around

It has been said a thousand times that a human’s best friend is their dog. Not to slight any one human in my life, but the one soul that comforts me most is the one soul who lacks the ability to use words to express their love. “It’s just a dog!” I’ve been told, or heard spoken as soon as I’ve turned my back.

I say you will never understand true love until and unless you have been shown how to love yourself by a dear canine friend.

Oh, I know, a strong statement from a family oriented person like me right? The goal here is not to slight anyone for their thoughts but to challenge myself—and you too I hope—to love as purely. Start with yourself. A selfish notion? Not at all. Can you really love yourself as deeply and as unconditionally? I have decided take up this challenge.

Truly ask yourself if your greatest love is you. It is not a narcissistic or an ego based love, but a pure love of self that you want to nurture and help grow by creating loving relationships and experiences that enrich who you really are.

You see, the challenge is not to love someone else with all your might but to love yourself in all your ugly.

When you can really love yourself by looking at who you really are then you can love another for all their ugly as well.

How then is this achieved? By choosing love instead of fear. In every moment of every day and in all that you do—choose love. Choose to love. Choose nothing and only love. It sounds altruistic, even poetic, and ultimately repetitive and easily dismissed. It may even sound easy AND impossible at the same time. This does not mean to not stand up for yourself, but to choose pure love of self foremost. Not to be mistaken for ego love—for ego love comes with a purpose—strings attached, or an intent to gain rather than to just be.

I said I’ve taken up this challenge and I hope you will too. It may take us a lifetime—or many lifetimes—to achieve, but I’ve got nothing but time…and so do you because the one person who always comes around is YOU!

Happy International Women’s Day !