Naked, the only way to be in love …

Strip away what can be quantified, seen or touched, and you have your authentic self. You have that for which you want to be known and loved.

Yes, you want somebody to love every little toe and sweet spot, but you also want them to love what you’re afraid to show and talk about. You want them to know that you were the last one picked for softball, that you had a speech impediment until you were 9 and that kids used to call you chubby knees. You want them to know that you’ve been dumped six times, fired once and that you’re now broke!

You want them to know the emotional struggles behind all that and still love you — not in spite of who you are, but because of who you are.

And if you weren’t so incredibly beautiful and precious stark-naked and vulnerable, that would be a tall order. My work is about finding the courage to peek beneath your gold watch or muscle or perfect-parent image or whatever security blanket you clench. As I’ve faced the fear of not being good enough that drove me to weave my own security blanket, I’ve naturally written about what it means to face yours in order to find your authentic self.

There’s a spark of divinity in there. It’s what makes you perfect just the way you are. Perfect!