[Intro] All I ever wanted Was to know that I was loved Not for what I did Not for who I might become Just because I was here [Verse 1] Growing up, I learned to disappear Standing in the room, but never really there My parents seemed content that I existed But my heart kept asking, "Does anybody care?" I wasn't asking for the whole world I wasn't asking for applause I just wanted someone to look at me And love me without a cause [Pre-Chorus] Then they told me, "Love your neighbour as yourself" As myself? If I loved them the way I loved me I'd tear them down for every mistake I'd point out every crooked piece And remind them of every break That can't be what He meant [Chorus] So I learned to love the one within Not because I'm perfect Not because I win My worth, my value Isn't something I achieve It isn't yours to give me It isn't yours to leave My worth just is My value just is Before the praise Before the scars I am worthy of loving-kindness Exactly where I am And when I learned to offer love to me I finally had more love to give [Verse 2] I thought accepting who I am Would mean pretending I was done But acceptance isn't giving up It's where the healing can begin I can see the things I need to change Without becoming my mistakes I can hold my failures tenderly And still choose another way No more standing over myself With a courtroom in my mind I can tell the truth with kindness I can leave the whip behind [Pre-Chorus] Love your neighbour as yourself Maybe hidden in those words Was an invitation I had missed What if "as yourself" Means love belongs here too? [Chorus] So I learned to love the one within Not because I'm perfect Not because I win My worth, my value Isn't something I achieve It isn't yours to give me It isn't yours to leave My worth just is My value just is Before the praise Before the scars I am worthy of loving-kindness Exactly where I am And when I learned to offer love to me I finally had more love to give [Bridge] May I be gentle with this heart May I be patient with this mind May I know that I am worthy Of the love I freely give mankind May I be peaceful May I be safe May I stop measuring my soul By every judgment on another's face If His love does not abandon me Why should I abandon myself? If compassion is for everyone Then I am someone too [Breakdown] My worth is not your opinion My value is not your praise My life is not a scale Where love gets weighed It just is I just am And I am learning To meet myself With open hands [Verse 3] Then something unexpected happened When I laid my defenses down The love I'd spent my whole life chasing Was suddenly everywhere around Because kindness given inward Didn't leave me with less to share It opened up a window And let compassion fill the air I didn't have to guard my worth Or prove that I belonged I could celebrate another's light Without believing mine was gone [Final Chorus] When you love yourself Truly love yourself As He holds you in eternal love You can turn toward every neighbour With your hands and heart undone Your worth just is Their worth just is No one higher No one beneath Loving-kindness starts within us Then becomes the way we meet Open the heart Open the window Let the guarded pieces fall Love yourself Then love your neighbour And watch that love Multiply to all [Outro] May I be loved May you be loved May every frightened heart belong The love we thought We had to earn Was here All along
