I know how it feels to have people I care about (family and friends) choose to stay in abusive relationships.  From the outside looking in the view for those of us who appreciate that love does not abuse, use, control or prevent someone from interacting with his/her family and other people is so clear.  Yet if we have ever been on the inside looking out then we also appreciate what a challenge it is to step away from a situation when we believe the person hurting us loves us and someday will change. We know what it is like to lack self-respect, self-worth, and self-love.

No matter how much we want to help someone see the truth of his or her situation we cannot. No matter how much we love them our love is not powerful enough to cause other people to wake up to how they are allowing themselves to be treated. The only love powerful enough to cause someone to walk away from abuse is self-love.

While we cannot make other people love themselves we sure can show them what it looks like.  We can be examples that what they truly want, deep within their heart and beyond the fear, is really possible for them too.