“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.”
I ran across this quote, which is lovingly hand painted and was displayed on a wall hanging at a recovery shop in P-Town.
We were winding down a weekend getaway and in a totally blissed out state, when low and behold, Buddha spoke to me.
This striking piece of art stopped me in my tracks.
Sure, I have read or seen similar versions of this message and Buddha knows I do my best to love myself however; I felt a deep, warming sense of relief and forgiveness gently wash over me.
I read it, recited it out loud and read it again.
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.”
I sometimes fall short of loving myself truly, madly and deeply – despite my best intentions.
I admit, there are times when I place someone or something above me – times when I am not front and center in my own life – times when I chose to beat myself up for ___________________.
What would it feel like to love myself as deeply as I love my partner, my father, my brothers, my dogs, my cats, hens, rooster, the sun on my skin, the taste of sautéed kale, the touch of sand under my bare feet…?
I do deserve my love and affection as much as anybody in the entire universe.
So what if it feels so much easier to shower someone else with love and affection than it does to shower myself. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
As a matter of fact, I do believe I was directed toward that wall hanging to remind myself of that which I do deserve.
My own love and affection.
And there is no time like the present to give and receive.