It starts with
seeing yourself.

All sides
and flavors
and melodies,
even the parts
that play
out of tune,
those discordant notes
teach veracity;
there’s truth
in all our shades.

And then it
gets down to
that business of
love-
turned inwards
turned grace sourced
turned heart towards;
there is power
and freedom
in our acts
of self-compassion.

And last,
it is learning
to take that same
love-
give it outwards
share in joy pours
pay it forwards
and know-

That how we treat
others is always
a reflection
of how we treat
ourselves.