Creative Writing

Fear not my beloved
To go against the tide
In this ocean full of deceit
Deep in the murky waters of lies

Love yourself first
Says my egocentric flesh
Echoed by my heart
That is desperately wicked above all

Broken as I am
I am not capable of loving 
If that love is rooted in
My imperfect and fallen nature

I would only end up hurting 
The One who loves me most
I would only end up hurting
The same broken people as myself

But the greatest Love of all says
To deny yourself
To give up the desires of my flesh
And to surrender my deceitful heart

For to truly love
Is to let it flow from an unfailing and enduring source
Who showed me to ‘love despite’
Not to ‘love because’

To love despite the hurt,
Not because it didn’t hurt
To love despite the difficulties,
Not because there were none

So fear not my beloved
To go against the tide
It’s time I stop thinking about myself
And start loving others as I ought to

- Kara Cabangcalan