Love is not being a doormat, being a slave, being locked up inside yourself, scared to come out. Love is not offering yourself to be used and hurt again and again. You need to be seen, as well. You need to be acknowledged for the fire in your heart too. So when you do finally love, when you choose to open beneath your ribs to another, friend or more, for the sacred lives lived of all our great grandmothers, remember yourself. Because true love... well, it doesn't leave anyone out, including you.