Choose Love

I hope you choose love Not the love you’ve always known, Not the yearning for a home in someone else, But the love that begins within, For the human you’ve become. I hope you look at yourself Through eyes full of wonder, Seeing not flaws, but the beauty of you. I hope you journey inward, Exploring the uncharted islands of your soul, Those hidden places you’ve locked away For fear of rejection. Choose love Love for the scars you carry, For the stories etched into your skin, For the marks time has left behind. I hope you make peace with your shadows, To sit with the silence And find comfort in your own skin, Your own being. Believe in yourself, Even if you stand alone in that belief. Learn to love yourself tenderly, As someone who knows your struggles intimately. Speak to yourself with compassion, Treat yourself with the care you truly deserve. I hope you choose to love yourself Completely, fully, And never lose hope.