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The dVerse challenge by Kim is to take the line “You will love again the stranger who was yourself” from the poem ‘Love After Love’ by Derek Walcott and write 144 words of prose.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” Carl Gustav Jung
You Who Are
“You will love again the stranger who was yourself.” she said. Her eyes were moist and tender, worried I guess, as I had been somewhere other than myself for some time, fully estranged, formed, nay, torn by the desires and opinions of so many, but never my own. It is as if, as Eliot once proposed, that I could arrive at myself and know myself as if for the very first time. To strip off the hats and masks, the accretions of a life, or two, and return naked to the world as my true self, the ungarnished and bruised reality for all to see. And that is the loveable, that is the real. All else is window dressing on a grand scale of deception of the self, no one else is so deceived. So, to set aside those ancient scales for love.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul, pvcann.com
parallax 
Sometimes it takes someone who really loves us to open our minds to ourselves once more!
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It sure does Dwight.
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I agree with Dwight, Paul. I like that you started with the given line and used another character to get the narrator take some kind of action – stripping off ‘the hats and masks, the accretions of a life, or two, and return naked to the world’ as his or her true self.
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Kim thank you for the challenge, and for your encouraging words and reflection. I found it thoughtful and provocative, thoroughly enjoyable.
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This is such an evocative write. Well done!
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Many thanks Beverly, your response is much appreciated.
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I really like this one. My favorite line is, “All else is window dressing on a grand scale of deception of the self…” It’s a nice way painting a picture of eternal emotion. Thanks for sharing and keep up the goo work!
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Thank you so much Michy for those wonderfully encouraging words.
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Beautiful wriite. I especially love the last line.
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Thank you for sharing that Dawn, I so glad it worked out.
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🙂
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Wow a beautifully deep reflection
>
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Thank you Lyn.
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I read it the second time, really like it. Love the last line.
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It never ceases to surprise me as to the parts that connect, different for everyone. Thank you for sharing that Amy.
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I think that it takes such true love sometimes to pull us back and correct us.
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For me that would be true, the other sees and grounds. Appreciate that thought very much.
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Wonderful. I love the metaphors so much. You can not love one, without loving yourself first. Michael
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Absolutely, and thank you 🙂
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Very well-written truth, Paul. The line that gobsmacked me was:
formed, nay, torn by the desires and opinions of so many, but never my own.
I think part of the process of aging is, for many of us, learning that we cannot allow others to define us. Thanks for this.
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Thank you Victoria, yes, the undoing of all that is not us, an unravelling in some ways. I so agree with your thought too, no one should define us. Many thanks for reflecting back.
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