Self-love, it is obvious, remains always positive and active in

Hear the words of Gordon W. Allport, wise scholar of the human heart: “Self-love, it is obvious, remains always positive and active in our natures.” These words are not merely observation but revelation, for they declare that deep within the marrow of every soul lies a force unyielding—a love of self that preserves, sustains, and urges us onward through the trials of life. This self-love is no vanity, but the primal flame of survival and dignity, a light that refuses to be extinguished even in the darkest of hours.

For Allport knew, through his study of human personality, that beneath our doubts, our failures, and our shame, there yet beats a spirit that longs for life, for meaning, for wholeness. This positive force is not passive; it is active, a constant current urging us to heal our wounds, to rise after we fall, to protect what is sacred within us. Even when battered by despair, the soul clings to this hidden root of self-worth, and from it can spring resilience, courage, and the will to begin again.

Consider the story of Nelson Mandela, who endured twenty-seven years in prison. Stripped of freedom, torn from his people, subjected to cruelty, he yet held fast to his sense of dignity. It was self-love that whispered to him: “You are not broken. You are still whole.” From this inner strength, he endured captivity without losing his humanity, and when he emerged, he became a living testament to forgiveness and leadership. His positive and active inner nature allowed him to transform his suffering into hope for a nation.

So too do we see this truth in the tale of Harriet Jacobs, who escaped slavery and hid for seven long years in a cramped attic, denied the freedom of sky and sun. What sustained her? It was her love for her own life and her children’s lives. That hidden strength within her said, “You are worth saving. You are worth fighting for.” Her eventual liberation was not only an act of resistance against oppression but also the triumph of self-love, the refusal to accept that she was less than human.

The meaning of Allport’s words is this: self-love is the foundation of all survival and growth. Without it, we collapse under the weight of hardship. With it, we endure, we rise, and we flourish. It is the force that allows us to forgive ourselves, to nourish ourselves, to continue moving forward when despair calls us to stop. It is not selfishness, but the recognition that one must first honor the self in order to give honor, love, and service to others.

The lesson for us is clear: cherish the flame of self-love within you. Do not confuse it with arrogance, for it is humility to care for oneself as a vessel of life. Nor should you despise it, for without it you cannot endure. Tend to it as one tends a sacred fire—through rest, through kindness to oneself, through words of affirmation, through the courage to set boundaries against those who would diminish your worth.

Practical wisdom calls us to three actions: first, speak daily a word of kindness to yourself, as you would to a friend in need. Second, nurture body and mind, for in their strength the spirit finds a home. Third, forgive your own failings, and rise again with the knowledge that self-love is not destroyed by mistakes but strengthened through mercy. These practices will keep alive the positive and active power that Allport declared is rooted in our nature.

So let it be remembered: self-love is the hidden wellspring from which resilience flows. It is the voice that says, “You are worthy,” even when the world says otherwise. Gordon W. Allport’s words remind us that this love is always present, always stirring, always ready to lift us if we will listen. Honor it, guard it, and act from it, and your life will shine as a testimony that the greatest victory is not over others, but over despair itself.