Emotional Intelligence Starts with Yourself

I’ve been talking a lot lately about emotional intelligence. And emotional intelligence really starts with ourselves and knowing who we are, and how we feel about each other. This is a little unusual Monday mention because I’m going to wax some poetry here.

I came across this. I had it buried in a file somewhere and I’ve been thinking about it for three weeks, because I think this is a really profound way to look at how we either know ourselves or we don’t.

The name of the poem is called Love After Love by Derek.

The time will come

When, with elation,

you will greet your self arriving at your own door,

in your own mirror and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

And say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself,

to the stranger who has loved you

All your life, whom you ignored

For another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,