Yes, starryprince. I have shame. And going by the information and insights given to me by the mental health field - psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists etc., books, everything! - and also my doctors - I understand that these feelings of shame, as you pointed out, come from what we learned and absorbed in our formative years as children growing up. Doesn't necessarily need to be a physical abuse or physical trauma either [although I did have those things]. For me, the paradigm fits, and I've seen how it fits for others as well.

I have had love before too, and definitely felt like I didn't deserve it or shouldn't be part of it like it was wrong somehow, but I just ignored those feelings knowing they're not the real me, as such, and followed what my head was telling me. Not my heart - my heart has a big black scar running through the middle. I have to listen to my head and any wisdom I might've picked up along the way.

So I didn't overcome or get over the shame, I just ignored it in favour of the wish for love.