A deep sense of understanding and relief invaded my being when I realised my love for others or a specific person originated within me. This realisation helped me understand why learning to love others around me, including my past relationships, friends, colleagues, etc., has been relatively easy.

It's been a learning process, a transformative one that started a while ago when I learned to accept myself with all peculiarities, uniqueness, and randomness. These traits define my personality to a certain extent that some people call autistic, but I call altruistic.

And I love this weirdness about me, not intentionally, though; I don't think that people are intrinsically weird, but instead different to the eyes of society, to what people call the norm. And the norm is overrated. Being different and exploring all different aspects of our personality allows us to reach our true potential and helps us connect with others at a deeper level. Otherwise, how could we pretend to have deeper connections if we don't embrace all shades of light that comprise us?

Last week, my friend Tahir told me something that resonated with me. Every human body is like a tree in the forest; they come in different sizes and structures, and we appreciate them. In the same way, we should love our bodies in all forms; even though we don't consider them perfect, they are as they portray the beauty around us.

Many of us, in the pursuit of improvement, mistakenly stagnate on chasing the results rather than enjoying the process and get lost in models defined by others and society in general. One of the most challenging things we sometimes deal with is the understanding and acceptance that every person is different and reacts to circumstances quite differently depending on their own experiences, and then relationships succumb to a flight of ego, and lack of empathy as we were not prepared for it.

Also, I want this text to focus on something other than two-person relationships to the detriment of solo relationships, which are essential for a successful and fulfilling life. We are adept at initiating relationships with others by having a solid love relationship with ourselves. How can we expect to develop and foster meaningful and deep-rooted relationships while having shallow relationships with ourselves?

One can only honestly know oneself by spending time on our own, valuing one's peace of mind, surrendering to preconceived ideas transmitted to us about how our lives should turn around. After all, can someone else live the life you are supposed to? Only you.

In conclusion, this exploration of love and relationships highlights the profound truth that our capacity to love others is deeply rooted in our ability to love and understand ourselves. Our peculiarities and uniqueness are facets of our identity and the very essence that makes our interactions rich and meaningful.

By embracing our individual journey of self-love and acceptance, we open doors to more genuine and fulfilling relationships. Let us cherish our own uniqueness and carry that acceptance into every connection we make, understanding that the journey to external love is, in many ways, an inward one.