Opaque Emotional Wall

I came across this quote by C.S. Lewis today and it really made me think...

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

I’ve found that loving yourself is the foundation in which receiving love takes place. It is such a simple truth and is hardly an unrecognizable saying, but I think many times people put up a shield to block out love simply because of their own insecurities. I’ve been there myself. At times it just seems easier to be unhappy. I know that sounds strange, but I have been caught up in the belief that I am incapable of being loved or true love is a farce. Somehow I found that acceptable as a means to prevent myself from being hurt. However, once I acknowledged that I am a lovable person despite my many flaws, I was no longer “unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable”. Yes, I run the risk and almost certainty of being let down or hurt by those I love, but the rewards far outweigh my previously opaque emotional wall. I see this mentality so often and understandably, but once I freed myself of this attitude my life was truly blessed. My heart was opened in ways I never imagined possible. Something so simple and often overlooked, made such a profound impact on my relationships and outlook of life itself. I am still a work in progress, but I'm continually working to peel the blinders away.