Love Me Some Me...

What are some things you love? Your spouse, kids, God, music, food, cars, books, movies. I could name about a hundred different things that I love if you asked me that question. I'm sure you could too. 

But did you say me?

Not me as in me, but me as in you?

I asked this question to my clowns recently, "tell me some things that you love". I pretty much got the standard answers from all three, but not one of them said, myself. 

To often in life we don't love ourselves. We blame ourselves, think we're not good enough, or magnify our own faults, especially when someone we love hurts us. A few Facebook friends recently posted about how their wives were leaving them after many years of marriage. Both men posted about how they should have been better or done more. As if it was completely their fault that their wife cheated or decided to move on. I don't know their situation, in fact I don't know any body's situation, but I do know that it takes two to tango.  

I felt a bit hurt when I asked my clowns to name some things they love and on top of their list were things like iPods and money. Not hurt because I wasn't on their list, but because THEY weren't on their list. Maybe it's because they're kids and they live simple lives. Maybe it's because it's a trick question. I mean how many people would really say themselves when asked what are some things you love? Or maybe it's because I haven't taught them to love me some me.

You see, I love me some me. Sure there was a time in my life when I didn't exactly love me.  Maybe that's just something we all go through in life. Like a bridge we have to cross to get to the other side. And I think as a parent it's my duty to help my clowns understand what love is. And the first step of that is loving yourself. After all if you don't, how can you expect others to?