Prof Nandini’s love poem is about self-love that provides solace during life’s challenges. Trust your authentic self and embrace vulnerability. Rediscover yourself in the Special Feature, exclusively for Different Truths.

When life comes apart in your hands
when things seem out of control
it’s best to love yourself.
Love, be your own philosophical perception,
be a reference by a question to the self
on the same subject.
Be your own focus.
The sense of self-hood
is never
your subjectivity.

Self-concept and
self-awareness 
are only about
your true self and false self.
 
The real self is your tangible, dependable,
innovative and vulnerable person
and the unreal self is your
idealistic, phony, and pseudo-self.
 
Trust your unprompted, reliable experiences
to have a feeling of being alive.
I am your real self.
I am not a rueful façade,
I don’t lack extemporaneity
neither I feel lifeless and hollow,
I am you, yet another ‘you’.
In the Game of Chess, the Queen protects
the King. In principle. Make me your
shield, you be my touchstone.
Love, loving me is as good as loving yourself.
I am your relationship with the 'self'.
I am your mirror image
like a Siamese twin.
Make me your engagement with your 'self',
immerse in me, and in me you engulf.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Prof. Nandini Sahu

Prof. Nandini Sahu, Amazon’s best-selling author in 2022, professor of English and Former Director the School of Foreign Languages, IGNOU, New Delhi, is an established poet, creative writer, and folklorist. She is the author/editor of 17 books. She is the recipient of the Literary Award/Gold Medal from the Vice President of India for her contribution to English Studies. Her areas of research cover New Literatures, Critical Theory, Folklore and Culture Studies, Children’s Literature and American Literature.

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