Dear Rosalie,
It is time to learn to love yourself. You have learned to tolerate and like yourself–mostly. You have even learned to love different parts and aspects about you. However, it is time to accept yourself and love you for being you, regardless of your flaws. You love others unconditionally–well, as unconditionally as humanly possible anyway. You forgive their wrongdoings, overlook their flaws, and love them for who they are as a whole. So, it isn’t right and it isn’t fair to treat yourself differently.
You, my dear, are just as human as everyone. You are equal in the eyes of God. You are no worse than those around you, so why do you criticize and even sometimes hate yourself so? You have learned to stop hating people, no matter how much they have wronged you. But you are NOT hate free as long as you despise the woman looking back at you in the mirror on far too many mornings.
I know you hate posturing and bragging. I know you abhor self importance and ego. I know you are mistrustful of pride and overconfidence. However, it is time to start paying yourself some compliments. You are beautiful inside and out. You are compassionate, loving, generous, and strong. You are passionate, intelligent, talented, and hard working. God created you to be unique and special, just like everyone else on this earth. He has an important purpose in mind for you, and it’s not wasting your precious life hating yourself and hiding from the past.
You survived the unimaginable. You pushed through many of the worst things life has to offer. You had to often rely only on your faith and yourself even as a child. You are a survivor, and always will be. It’s time to stand up tall, and be proud of how far you’ve come despite everything. It’s time to move forward and learn to truly live for the first time in your entire life. It’s time to leave the darkness forever and bask in the sunlight. It’s time to fully feel the love that God has been beckoning to you to come and enjoy for what seems like a lifetime. Yes, you CAN do this!
Love Forever and Always,
Rosalie
Letters from a Shattered Soul 