"Sometimes we love

And our hearts are broken

We dream

And our hopes are shattered

We wish

And our desires are unfulfilled

We give freely

And are left empty-handed

And we care for others

And aren’t loved in return

And those who we once most admired and valued

Do not reciprocate our affection.

Sometimes we undergo a process of loss and heartbreak

And are left feeling broken

And lacking hope

As we fail to realise

That we are not destined to remain stuck in this cycle indefinitely

And that in life

What lets go of you

Leads you home

What rejects you

Empowers you to embrace yourself fully

And that someone’s lack of love for you

Is ultimately a reflection of them rather than you.

And we feel most hurt

Not when we are rejected

But when we reject ourselves

We feel most sad

Not when others upset us

But when we seek happiness in sources that are unable to provide it and are left feeling let down

And we feel most alone

When we are strangers to ourselves

And so in order to find peace in our surroundings

We must first find peace within

In order to find joy outside of us

We must first experience joy internally

In order to feel fully accepted

We must first learn to fully accept ourselves

And that

Not every race is worth running

Not every battle is worth fighting

Not every adventure is worth embarking upon

And not every relationship is worth pursuing

And rejection is simply redirection

Allowing us to become more in touch with ourselves

And more awakened to our own self-acceptance and self-love."

~ Tahlia Hunter

[ Image: The Wings of Desire ink, acrylic, paper collage and photography on canvas by French mixed media artist Corine Ko ]

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