Envisioning a world in which people love themselves freely...


I, Marina Jae Smerling,

as someone who has internalized so much anger, shame, and self-hatred over the years, since I was a wee one, hereby take a stand for the possibility of self-love regardless of the circumstances, for myself, for you, and for all beings everywhere.
 
While my biggest argument in favor of self-hatred is that it might keep me compassionate to others (as a way of not sucking up all the love for myself), and that it might keep me safe (as a way of not doing anything too big and bold and daring that might cause others not to like me), I hereby choose to believe that, in fact, as someone who loves herself regardless of the circumstances, compassion will in fact more effortlessly flow from my being, and I will find such fulfillment in the joy of being alive, real, and expressed in the world, that the need for safety will diminish in its presence.

While I am telling myself that I am crazy for doing this, I am circulating this petition 1) to plant seeds in others, and nourish young sprouts already growing toward tree-dom, and 2) because I want to know who are my allies, who else is walking (or would like to walk) this path.

Thus, if the cause of unrelenting self-love resonates in your being, let your name be known.  

Thank you!