“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” – Buddha
Ever heard the phrases, “The truth hurts”, “What is done in the dark will come to the light”, or “The truth shall set you free”? Why must the truth hurt? Why do we hide who we really are? Or why do we choose chains over freedom? For many, the answer is the same. All we ultimately desire is acceptance and because of this, we will go to great lengths to hide who we really are, even when it causes us pain and self-detriment. When traveling, especially when I take a train or subway, I sit back and observe the faces of the people that are on board. Some show faces of anxiousness, others joy, and then others fatigue. But the people that catch my attention the most are those that appear lonely. It’s a look that cannot be escaped. I often wonder what their life story is, why the look, and what brought them to this place. I’m sure, it’s a combination of many different things.
The truth is, self-acceptance begins with accepting yourself and loving yourself. We can put rules, guidelines and expectations on others, but if we are searching for genuine happiness and fulfillment, we must first begin with loving ourselves. People will disappoint us, but when you love yourself, there is a deeper sense of contentment. Yes, I agree, loneliness is no fun, but we must first be comfortable with being ourselves, by ourselves, and with ourselves before we can bring joy to others. The truth is many of us don’t love ourselves and this is why we find it hard to love others. Try loving yourself first, then you can give love to others.
