love

it got me to thinkin bout the word and definition of love. how much we seem to depend on others to make us feel loved. yet eve that is a strange thought, because on one hand if we depend on others to tell us, or show us, that they love us and we spend all of our times waiting for them to fulfill our expectations about love, then we don't take anytime to love ourselves or fall in love with ourselves or know ourselves, or treat ourselves lovingly. it's like we get stuck in this pattern of defining love by what someone ELSE feels about us instead of how we feel about ourselves!
on the other hand, no matter what anyone says, everyone needs someone to love, someone they can show their love to and receive love in return. ya know?
then there are times when we get so afraid of love, that we dont even take the chance with it. and never know the power and depth and goodness that love can bring. even if it ends one day, then we at least were fearless enough to experience it while it lasted and gain from it what we may...
but i guess there are certain things about love that are forever,
like if you give it you will get it
If you believe in it, it will exist for you
and even when you're in love you can't be blind
because if you dont love yourself, no one else will know how to.

it's necessary for us to love ourselves and know we deserve only the best from the people we give our love to and nothing less. or they dont deserve us.

~a.keys

u know what holds me back from showing how much i truly care. i'm afraid that i'm insignificant to people who are significant to me, that all the love i put in will simply bounce back and hurt me instead. but the truth is i really, really care. i wonder if i'm cheating myself by trying to protect myself like that. i guess i really shouldn't anymore. fearless enough to experience it while it lasted and gain from it what we may. if it goes unappreciated, i'd be hurt, but nevertheless i'd know, and God knows, i've tried. and no matter what, it'll never be a bad thing coz it's not going to hurt anyone else but yourself, and even so, that is provided you let yourself be hurt.