Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine First Edition | Page 22

Love is an Inside Job by Janine A . Ingram

Love is an Inside Job by Janine A . Ingram

My grandmother always said … “ People do not treat you the way you treat them , they treat you the way you treat yourself .”
As a younger woman , those words meant absolutely nothing . However , after the pain , many dark nights , and the tears brought on by abandonment and heartbreak , they spoke volumes to me years later .
In early childhood , where I was left in the care of people who didn ’ t care about me . Teen life , where I was left to fend for myself and figure out things on my own . Adult life , where lessons came so fast and furious that I hadn ’ t recovered from one experience before the next one hit . All this meant that life had pushed me around and soon those words from my grandmother would reach deep into my soul .
Pain had pushed me to the brink of life ’ s end at a certain point . I was sitting in the middle of my bed , feeling unloved , unwanted , and dejected , screaming to whatever energy was out there , “ Stop the world and let me off .” Then , a few seconds later , The Still Small Voice from within gave me an answer I would never forget . “ Love yourself .” At the time I was the only one in the house . That voice was quiet , but loud enough to make the instruction plain — love yourself .
Little did I know that this journey of learning to love me would activate the most powerful presence of myself , a path to my inner self that opened up my soul .
Loving me healed the very essence of my being ; the parts of me that had withered and died from lack of self-care , understanding , and awareness .
Love taught me how to ask empowering questions instead of the traditional “ Why me ?” that seems to grace everyone ’ s lips when bad things happen to good people . I began to ask , “ What is the Universe trying to express through me ?” or “ What is the lesson ?”
Love taught me how to trust in the process of the unknown . We call it faith , and faith is a direct descendant of Love . When we know that love is at the center of everything , then faith is the next step in knowing that everything will work for our highest and best good .
Love taught me how to see myself as a Divine Gift to the planet instead of a stranger on the earth scene . Love awakened the Goddess in me . No matter how many doubts , insecurities and negative self talk rolled through my mind , love overcame every one of them .
The sole purpose of this life ’ s journey is to learn that everyone is the walking embodiment of love in varying degrees . Love is an inside job and choosing to forgive ourselves first is the moment we begin to own our voice . Embracing love taught me how to honor myself