How Can I Love You, If I Don't Know How to Love Me?

Speaking as a single woman my sister/friend saidgreat car, on and on...honey please, don't you see
to me the other day, "You know I have trulythe men that step to you are in the same boat
learned to love myself; I have learned to beand some in the boat without a paddle? Yet they
happy with me!" A little surprised at hercome as if they are riding a stallion with a sword
statement which at the time seemed to comeand shield in hand only they don't come to rescue
out of the blue, as she continued on it becameyou, they come to be rescued. Why? Because
abundantly clear (and much to my pleasure Ithey see it all over you, the lack of love for you.
might add) that what she had to say held true forWho are you? what do you like to do? Have you
me as well.ever done these things? What makes you happy?
She began to speak about our daughters,What makes you sad? What are the rules? What
biological and otherwise, and how they seem toare the limits?
want so much to attach themselves to a man,Loving and being loved is a wonderful thing, it's
claim love, and start having babies.meant to be but I heard someone say that when
Even at an early age our young women seem totwo half people come together they don't make
think that they should throw themselves on thea whole, they are just two half people together.
sword, their dreams and aspirations kicked to theThe discovery of the whole woman that I am
curb when they come across a male figure, nottoday didn't by any means happen overnight. If
even necessarily a man, (and that's an entirelyyou recall I said my sista and I are 40 something,
different article) that pays the slightest bit ofbut you don't have to wait until you're 40
attention to them.something, you can start today.
We talked about how at 40 something we knowSpend time with you; ask yourself some
and are happy with who we are, we know whatquestions and if you can't answer them that's
we want out of life, we know exactly what wewhere you start to get to know the woman in
will and will not accept, and most of all we haveyou.
taken the opportunity to fall in love with us. NowWe all have flaws, some big some small, some of
don't get me wrong, we are both very strong,us have both big and small but trust me so do
attractive, single black women that by no meansmen. They have the same insecurities and
plan on being single for all of our remaining daysquestions we do. Never allow someone to
but until "he" arrives, and comes correct, we haveconvince you that you don't deserve better, you
learned that before we can love someone elsedo! But you have to believe that you do. If you're
we must love who we are.fat and you don't like it, dislike it enough to do
On Saturday we had taken ourselves on a date,something about it.
a double date as a matter of fact. She tookIf you know that your reading is not up to par be
herself and I took myself. Full body massages,smart enough to admit that you need help
shopping, lunch and a movie sounds like a greatlearning to read better. Every library has, or can
date right? Would I expect that from a date?direct you to a literacy program to help you learn
Absolutely!to read better.
I look at women young and old that seems toPretty. Well it starts on the inside; deal with your
have settled for less than they really want, orissues of hurt or shame, pains and problems. Get
deserve. Some man came along, played a mindhelp with that too if needed, but deal with it girl.
game, found a comfortable place where theAs you begin to come to grips with it, you will
woman cares for them more than they care forstop allowing it to sit on your face as a mask of
themselves and sadly in some cases for theirshame or hurt for all to see.
own children and they rest. What is that about?Get yourself up, fix yourself up and like it, NO,
How dare you put anyone before yourself andlove it, love you for who you are and when you
the one you brought forth! You get less and givedo, watch what happens.
more, and you will always get less and give moreRemember that your time is not God's time and
because you have not fallen in love with you!everything that happens is for a reason. It's never
Well I have issues, I'm over weight, I'm nottoo late to learn.
pretty, I'm not smart, I don't have a good job, a