In loving others

I am learning to love myself

If I can love the homeless man

Suffering alone in the street

Could I learn to love myself?

Even when I told myself I wasn't enough

Believing others when they said I was too much.

If I could love the deaf boy

Could I learn to love the part of me

Who can't or doesn't listen

If I could love the large round woman

Why couldn't I learn to love myself

My curves

My mounds

My hills and valleys.

If I could love him

Even with his skew toes

Then I could love all of me

That's not straight

Or perfect.

Learning to love me as I am

Even the inner critic

Who says I should feel shame

I love her too.

@aloha.jacqueline