Before trying to live in harmony and love others, it is surely necessary to be in harmony with and love ourselves. Without true self-love, we are not capable of truly loving others. If we are hard on ourselves, we will in turn be hard on others. The behavior in others that we criticize most often is usually a behavior we posses or fear possessing. We feel threatened by others’ examples of our own weaknesses-or potential weaknesses. It is important that we learn about Jesus’ unconditional love, and acceptance for us first, in spite  of our weaknesses, quirks, failures, wrong choices, imperfections, etc… We must learn to accept our own weaknesses and to forgive ourselves for not being perfect- before we can accept our neighbor’s weaknesses and forgive them for not being perfect. C.S Lewis said, “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him”. As God pours His transforming love into our hearts’, healing will take place and we will be able to forgive and accept ourselves because that’s the way Jesus loves us. Only then will we be able to take the mercy, forgiveness and patient love we have received from Him, and transfer this spirit of  love to our neighbor

“You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself”(Matthew22:39b).