“The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
“At the heart of personality is the need to feel a sense of being lovable without having to qualify for that acceptance.” – Paul Tournier
*
Self portrait
Sometimes
At the mirror
I can smile
Seeing something new
Something I can
Appreciate
The hair has lost
It’s frizz – not yet grey
But it is the
Kindness that
Sparkles from
Mes yeux
And it is
Spreading
Like branches
Reaching out
Allowing me
At last to
Embrace
Myself
*
Bisous,
Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 
Lovely – really felt lucky to have come across this. Thank you.
Thank you Safia. Your stopping by enabled me to find your blog. I did stop by but will look in again as there is much to see! Merci beaucoup!
You’re right, Léa.
The one, who is unable to love hinself/herself, is also unable to love others.
Don’t look back in anger (on the better times), try to change the future.
Thank you Solaner. Yes, those who grow-up without love, find it so hard and often the most difficult one to learn is love of self.
Oh this is a gorgeous poem Lea. I love the idea of kindness spreading like branches around your eyes (laughter lines?)
It took years for me to learn to love myself after the active alcoholism, and feel loveable from othes’ points of view too, but I arrived eventually. And I now admire my “branches” too. A wonderful analogy and poem.
Love
Christine
Xxx
Christine, you always make my day! Perhaps you are right about the laugh lines? I hadn’t thought about it that way.
Like a number of these poems, some of it was personal and come was from observances or were offered from clients in therapy. It doesn’t really matter as so many of us were loaded down with cruel indictments and outright lies that we carried around for way to long.
Love,
Lea
Xxx
It is good to know you are carrying much lighter weights now. You have come a long way 🙂 We both have in our different ways.
Xxx
“A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her into hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
A few people along the way, later years, would comment on my strength. I couldn’t see it. Now I am seeing what a “tough old bird” I am! 🙂
XxXx
🙂 :). Xxx
🙂 🙂 XxXx
Self Love is the starting point from which all recovery begins.
Sometimes we have to act as if, but that in itself is an act of self love! 🙂
David
Absolutely David! And it doesn’t have to be a substance that one needs to recover from.
It’s lovely to hear from you. 🙂
Léa
Well, its about time you embraced yourself my friend. Everyone else with an ounce of sense already has!! Especially me!! Cheers to you my talented friend~
Oh I had. Yet what I write is not just from my own experience but also from those I have worked with. Thank you.
You are right, Léa… it is something we must all do sooner or later.
One would hope. Alas, too many never do. Thanks Sue.