Loving Yourself Leads To No Compromise

Happy Saturday guys.  Well, a New Year has come in - thank you Lord for allowing us to see it; and, Valentine's Day has passed.  But before I get into my thought for today, I want to know, what have you done different this year?  Have you come up with anything innovative for your life this year, or have you fell back into the same routine.  Just a quick reminder: "Your" dreams can only come to pass when "you" begin to work at them - the world is waiting for what you have.  So with that being said, "let's get it cracking."

Now that, that's out the way, how was every one's Valentine's?  Did you enjoy your day? Did you get everything that you wanted - flowers, cards, candy, dinner?  Well, good; I'm happy for you.  But I'm going to take a different approach about Valentine's Day. Yeah I know it's two days later, but that's how I wanted to do it.  Check it out.

All day Thursday, as I watched everyone receive their gifts, I wondered how many people compromised themselves for this one day. What do you mean, compromised?  Oh you know what I mean when I say it, because at some point, we (that means me too) all have done it.  Remember the song by the Spinners, "Everybody Plays the Fool", sometimes.  The question is, how many times will we continue to play it.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing more sweeter than to receive a card and flowers sent to your place of employment for all to see, or to have openly acts of affection displayed in public; it's those kind of gestures that put us on Cloud 9; and now that we have social media, we are quick to share with the world, what he or she has done for us, further elevating our high.  Am I knocking this?  Heck no; you should feel this way, when it is genuine.  But what about the flip side of it all?  Sisters, when you receive the flowers for all to see, what happens the day after. Does he go back to treating you like crap again?  Is he still cheating on you, still making you cry. Unlike others, you know he sent you those flowers with a motive, and like so many of us, we fall into that trap. We compromise ourselves.  And brothers, I can't leave you out, because the same holds true for you, too.  You got this fine sister who you know ain't really feeling you like that, but you do it up for her: wine and dine, flowers, candy, the whole nine yards only to find out later, she's still seeing her ex; but because he didn't do anything for her on Valentine's day, and you did, she went out with you instead (you were her option - ouch).  Now you may have gotten that temporary thing, but you had to empty your pockets first, and on top of that, you still didn't get the girl that you know deserves so much better than the foolishness she's been dealing with.  And you know this why, because you are the guy to give it to her.  Compromised yourself.

What's the point in all of this?  It is this: Valentine's Day, when shared with the right person, can be a beautiful day. There's nothing greater than loving and being in love. But when that day is over, then what.  The excitement that you felt when you received your goodies for all to see, will you still feel the same about his or her actions; or will you go back to being played, or mistreated and disrespected.  Will you still continue to be his or hers sloppy seconds and will you still continue to "play the fool."

Final thoughts:  To me, Valentine's Day should be every day and no I'm not talking about receiving gifts, either.  What I'm talking about, is being treated the way you know you deserve to be treated on any given day. YOU shouldn't have to jump through hoops or compromise yourself by giving up your goodies (and you know what I'm talking about) sisters, or brothers break your pockets, in order to spend a day with someone who will go back to being themselves right after they get what they want from you. Compromising yourself.  We shouldn't have to put ourselves in traps that is set to keep us from realizing that the first love before any commercial day, should be ourselves.  That's why you have so many angry people of this day.  They were tricked into thinking that this day was a day when a person really shows them how much they love them, thus opening a door of compromising on their part only to be disappointed after the thrill was gone. Valentine's Day, if you have someone to share it with, should only be an "extra" extension of what you are receiving daily.

Therefore, if you fell into the trap this year because you wanted all to know that you are "special" too, prepare yourself better for next year.  Remember people, you are special with or without all of the things that some may believe is the epitome of love.  Listen, before and long after the flowers die, the candy melts and the balloons deflate, you will and forever will, always be special and you know why; because you understand that in order to feel special, you must first love yourself.  Loving yourself leads to no compromise, and no amount of Valentine's gifts or motive-driven actions, can ever replace that. 

Peace & Love.....