‘Excuse me.’ A young girl stood before me, tugging on her sleeves, her hair hanging in her face. I brushed it away from her eyes, encouraging her to look at me. ‘I just wanted to thank you for this group. I have no one, and without you all, I don’t know how I could possibly get through this.’ I put my hand on her arm, reassuring her that we were there for her. No matter what, we would be her lifeline. ‘What about you? After your boyfriend cheated on you and after you have healed, do you think you could love again?’ I smiled at her, knowing that my answer could have a profound impact on this young woman’s life. An impact that was more than a two-dimensional image on a screen.

‘It will come, at the right time, with the right person, it will come, but for now,’ I looked her in the eyes, ‘for now, I live each day for what it is, knowing that I am present enough to accept love when it finds me.’ Her eyes filled with tears, a deep hurt inside of her bubbling to the surface.

‘Some days, I don’t know if I can get through this. If I am even worthy of love. I want to believe that I am but …’ She didn’t finish her sentence. Didn’t need to. I understood the yearning for acceptance, the feeling of not being enough.

‘You have to love yourself first,’ I said, patting her arm, encouraging her to open up to me.

‘I try,’ she said, ‘I do try to tell myself I am worthy, but it’s difficult. You know.’ I pulled her into me, embracing her tightly.

Walking out of the community centre together, Ashray lifted his eyebrows at me.

‘You’re looking happy with yourself.’ Lately, his smile came much more easily.

‘It was a good day,’ I said.

‘Yes. A good day. Is that young woman okay?’

‘She will be, when,’ I looked at him, hoping he would understand, ‘when she is ready to love herself.’

‘Just like you, then?’

‘Yes, just like me.’ I smiled.

‘And do you love yourself, Jhanvi?’ It didn’t take much thought this time, I didn’t need to find the reasons why I was worthy of love.

‘Yes.’

‘I would call that a breakthrough,’ he said, as he smiled and reached out, pulling my hand into his.

We walked the path to the main road together in silence, our fingers intertwined. Willing to accept love, willing to give love, willing to truly understand that we are never alone if we allow ourselves to just love.

TO MY READERS

TO MY READERS

To the ones who, like Jhanvi, have lost themselves trying to be someone else—please know that you too will find your way back. After the storm and chaos, peace and happiness will return.