The Mirror and I: The Art of Loving Myself

In front of the mirror I stand,

Reflecting upon my image so grand.

But in my eyes, I see only flaws,

Imperfections that make my heart pause.

I used to turn away with disdain,

Hating what I saw, feeling such pain.

But then I began to look more closely,

And found there was something quite ghostly.

For in my reflection, I did not see,

The beauty and strength within me.

Instead, my eyes were drawn to the flaws,

To the parts of myself I wished to withdraw.

But as time passed, I began to learn,

That self-love was something I needed to earn.

That loving oneself is an artful task,

Requiring patience, kindness, and a willing mask.

So I began to look at myself anew,

To see the things that made me unique and true.

I saw the curve of my lips when I laughed,

The way my eyes sparkled like fine craft.

And as I looked deeper, I began to see,

The qualities that made me uniquely me.

My determination, my kind soul,

My ability to make others whole.

With each passing day, I learned to love,

All the parts of myself, below and above.

The wrinkles around my smiling eyes,

The scars that tell stories of my past tries.

For loving oneself is an art indeed,

A masterpiece that many fail to heed.

But once you begin, it's a journey worth taking,

A process that will leave your heart awaking.

So now I stand, before the mirror so clear,

And look upon my reflection without any fear.

For in the image staring back at me,

I see the art of loving myself, bountiful and free.