Saturday, November 25, 2006

Loving ourselves so we can love our neighbor

A quote from Frederick Buechner:

"'Love your neighbor as yourself,' we're told. Maybe before I can love my neighbor very effectively, I have to love me--not in the sense of a blind passion, but in the sense of looking after, of wishing well, of forgiving when necessary, of being my own friend." (Beyond Words, page 251)

This is an important, often overlooked point. The way we take care of ourselves, look after ourselves, want what is best for ourselves, and forgive ourselves, these are indeed the ways we are to love our neighbors, but they require loving ourselves.