Loving Yourself and Others

To what extent should we take care of others? I have often wondered about this. As human beings, we have two innate feelings that, at first, seem to be in contrast. The desire of the ego comes first, a kind of selfishness that makes you want to only think of yourself. Yet, you also feel empathy for someone who suffers, for someone in need and wish you could give them, help them. How do you reconcile these seemingly opposites? As the Latin saying suggests that "In medio stat virtus" (= Virtue stands in the middle), you can balance loving yourself with loving others. How? You start by loving yourself, then you can love others. Why? Because - if you don't  know how to love yourself - you wouldn't know how to love others. It's as simple as that.