Love is a complex and multifaceted emotion that holds immense power and significance in human experience. It transcends boundaries, cultures, and time, and has been a source of inspiration, joy, and fulfillment throughout history. Love can be found in various forms, including romantic love, familial love, platonic love, and self-love. It is a fundamental aspect of human connection and plays a vital role in our personal growth and well-being.
Love is not merely a fleeting feeling but a deep and profound connection that extends beyond superficial attractions or infatuations. It encompasses empathy, compassion, understanding, and acceptance. Love is a choice, an active commitment to care for and support another person’s happiness and well-being. It involves sacrifice, compromise, and the willingness to put someone else’s needs before our own.
Love is both powerful and vulnerable. It can bring immense joy and fulfillment but also leaves us susceptible to pain and heartbreak. Love requires trust and vulnerability, as opening oneself up to love means exposing the deepest parts of our being to another person.
Love is not always easy or perfect. It requires effort, communication, and understanding to navigate the challenges that arise within relationships. It involves growth and adaptation as individuals and as a couple.
Love is a force that has the potential to transform lives. It has the power to heal, to inspire, and to create profound connections between individuals. Love is a precious gift that should be nurtured, cherished, and celebrated. It holds the capacity to bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and its presence enriches human experience in immeasurable ways.
Hi! I agree with everything that you said. I think that love comes in different forms and depending on the person, they may experience it differently. I think it is extremely important that love requires communication, and you perfectly described that. I think your post is beautifully written and empathizes your beliefs clearly.
I conquer with you when you say love is both powerful and vulnerable, nor is it easy or perfect. But I think that because love is so imperfect and up to our own interpretation, that’s what makes it perfect.
Loved the way you wrote this, it’s so concise and can be read so smoothly. I agree with your idea that love is not easy but ultimately matters more than most would think. I can’t wait to see you in the fall 😀
You’ve beautifully captured the essence of love and its multifaceted nature. Love indeed holds a unique and profound place in human experience, transcending boundaries and influencing various aspects of our lives. It’s a dynamic interplay of emotions, choices, vulnerability, and growth that can bring both incredible joy and challenges. The recognition of love as a transformative force highlights its potential to shape our relationships, personal development, and overall well-being.
I agree that love is a very powerful emotion. There are many forms of love and it’s one of the strongest feelings that humans experience. I believe that love consumes a person because it changes the way we think and feel about ourselves or a significant other. It can be both positive and negative depending on the kind of love and how it is expressed among ourselves and others. It can cause heart break and extreme pain, or it can bring a fulfilling and happy lifestyle. The world thrives off of love and acceptance. Being human means that love is an emotion we experience and live with throughout our lives. It teaches many great and hard life lessons. It can also create an amazing bond between people or destroy a person’s sanity. Humans thrive off of love and the feeling. We enjoy being connected to others around us because the love we feel around certain people stimulates happiness in the human brain. Love is a passionate feeling and I believe that it can be traumatizing as well as the feeling of pure happiness depending on your connection with the other human that you share your love with. People impact our lives everyday and love is an emotion we deal with each day. Everyone experiences love in different ways and has a different point of view on what it means, but I strongly believe that there is good and passionate love as well as dark and hurtful ways to love. The kind of love we have experienced in the past or in the present has an effect on who we are. The mind is a very powerful tool and it can change beliefs based on experience. Love is one of the emotions that controls how we react and respond to others around us.
I agree with everything you wrote Maddie every moment from birth to death determines how we interpret love, each and every experience effects our everyday life. I couldn’t have stated it better myself well put.
This writing is amazing and the words used fit everything together perfectly. This is one of the best and many descriptions for love possible out there.
Love is something you need to survive. Love is a driving force that makes you want to be a better person. If you dont have love you lose the motivation you need to be passionate about things. One of our biggest needs is to seek out love from others. Love is a crucial part in childhood development and throughout all stages of life. It’s opening yourself in every way to give it to someone else. It’s knowing that no matter what you be what that person needs when they need it. Love is something that touches the soul and awakens something inside. Love isnt just a mental need, its physical. The feeling of love produces dopamine which is a feel good chemical. Love can be euphoric. You cannot thrive in a loveless environment. Love brings out the best versions of yourself that you didnt know you had. Love is a willingness to understand another person, how they react to things, their habits, recognizing their needs and things like that. It makes you kind. Love is incredibly hard, but keeping it and cherishing it with every life tribulation and triumph, every set back or jolt forward, making sure it doesn’t diminish that is what makes it hard, Love makes youcompassionate, thoughtful. Love makes you learn someone’s favorite recipes to try and give them something they like. Love is hearing songs and automatically thinking of someone and smiling. Love is the foundation of life. Love is the only constant in this rapidly changing world.
I really enjoyed reading this and it was extremely well written. I also love how you said that love was a choice and a commitment and I could not agree more. Because even though sometimes love takes effort and patience, it is very well worth it. I feel that when we choose to love it grows our character and capacity to feel something as human beings as well.
One of my core beliefs is that no one can love you, more than yourself. As everyone has worked so hard to get where they are, many have learned that they had to provide for themselves. I was the one up late at night studying for exams or doing all the homework until 3 am. I was the one who did the AP classes and all honors to make myself look good for college applications. I was the one who applied to colleges, did all the paperwork, and is paying for their college education. The one thing I have learned in the past 18 years that the one thing you can always love and rely on is yourself. Even through the hard days when you feel there is no brightness in the day or that you’re working too hard, your self love can help push you through. It can truly show how to be more confident and stand up for yourself in any given situation. It’s important to remember that when you feel alone or small in the world, you always have yourself to support you. Self worth and love is so important as it has gotten me to where I am today. Which has led to putting myself out of my comfort zone to pursue Nursing, even when I thought it may be too hard for me. Although I have felt alone in my experiences and that I am working hard all by myself, I like to always look back on my belief that my love for myself is the best form of love I can receive.
Hi Kylie,
You’re writing on your beliefs on love was amazing. Self love is important and without it, it makes getting through tough situations a lot harder. Not many people have self love and the fact that you do and feel so strongly about it makes me applaud you. Your self love has pushed you to where you are today and it is going to keep doing so. I’ve always tried focusing on loving myself and it has not always been the easiest, I think it was one of the hardest things I had to realize because we can be our biggest critics to ourselves.
I agree! I do not think that you are capable of loving someone unless you love yourself. I am in the same boat as you, I am the one who studied hard for my honors and APs and I am the one who did the college process alone. I am also paying for my college tuition alone and I am so proud of myself–and you should be too. It is important to love yourself to survive this world, even if it is just one step at a time.
Hi,
wow I love this writing that you have submitted. I 100% agree with you self love is the most important love. I have been struggling with that myself and reading this has made me feel a lot better. Thank you
This is a great piece, I can feel your vigor and it truly makes me feel compelled to take action in my life. It is well written and your composure during those harsh times of relying on yourself is beyond respectable. This courage is going to carry you through college and I know you’ll continue doing so.
I agree with you. you can not love someone else until you love yourself. A lot of people struggle with that and I’m glad you understand how important self love is and how can impact your life.
Karissa D
I think this is all so true! Self love is really the best medicine. To kind of add on to what you said, I also think that in order to be in a relationship, you have to love yourself first. If you don’t like yourself, then loving someone else is going to be so much harder. Self love is everything. I hope that your mind rests a little easier knowing that you did all the hard work and you’re now attending college! Best of luck<3
I totally agree with this writing about self love because at the end of the day you will always have your self and you always have to make the best out of your life.
I 100% agree with you, similar to your blog I wrote about self love and how you have to love yourself to progress through tough obstacles. The way you describe how you overcame your challenges shows great imagery and motivation to others and myself. What I learned from your blog was self love played a big part in your life.
While it may seem obvious at first many have questioned the idea of love. Is love a real observable force or nothing more than a shared idea? In the world of science love is a high level of dopamine and hormones acting out towards an attraction. Many would end an argument there on the idea if love is truly real. How much more could love be if it is found to be a combination of chemicals in the body. Many have also argued on popularized concepts of things like love at first sight. Again it may seem dumb to question this as you have probably felt some form of love for another thing or being before, but the question lies in how it is felt. If love is a real feeling and not just a chemical being released could one say it actually exists. When one feels love for another, the understanding the brain makes of those feelings isn’t the same for person to person. The understanding of these feelings in each person is different and thus can it be called love. That is the real underlying argument in all this, is can you truely call this collective feeling of love when it isn’t constant among people. For a time I felt like a solid argument could be made as if from person to person this idea doesn’t line up. How could you call it real? It wasn’t until I gave it some thought of my own and viewed my own experiences that I was able to really answer this question I heard about online. I looked over many factual stories as well as recalling instances where I decided to do something because of a feeling of attraction. There are many recorded instances of seemingly impossible things occurring in the name of love. For instance a man in 2017 lifted a portion of a car off of a family member. Bodybuilders are able to lift a good sized car, but this man was an average dude who said himself struggled to go up flights of stairs with all the groceries according to his story. The reason he was able to lift this car was a massive adrenaline boost that allowed him to lift the car. The only issue in this entire story is the reason for this much adrenaline to the point of it wearing off and causing him to collapse doesn’t have a sound explanation. The only solid answer we the public have is the fear of losing a loved one and that strong desire to remain with that loved one gave him this strength. It is a heartwarming story and others like it are all over the world. While for many the question of does love exist seems simple with a clear answer many have really thought about it and came to clear answers. My take on this matter lies in that story and yes love is not just real, but an observable force that pushes humanity forward.
I completely agree! I think love is not only a feeling but a force. There is a reason that we act the way we do because of love. I wonder what other stories exist because of love. Love makes us care for others in a way that is not normal to others–it is unique to us and allows us to differ from one another.
What do I believe about love? Well, I believe love is up for interpretation. Everyone defines love in their ways–whether it is through buying your significant other a present, a parent sacrificing their dreams for their children or letting the one you loved most go. Love has no age limit or time limit. Some people might fall in love with someone they see across the street or someone they have known their whole life.
It’s hard to describe what the feeling of love is. I learned multiple lessons about love throughout my 18 years. I met my first love at the beginning of the senior year–during the summer. Older generations may look down upon teenage love and say that, “it will never last” or that “it’s foolish,” but I think they are wrong. I understand love as that warm feeling you have when you see someone who automatically lifts your mood. The one who cares for you the most and no matter what they are going through, they will always put you first. If I am being honest, I got lucky with my first love and hope others experience it too someday.
Love is not always shown through romantic relationships–the most underrated love is shown through friendship. The type of friends that will always be by your side–through thick and thin to make sure you are okay and allows you to grow to better yourself and others.
I believe love is unique to each person and should be appreciated more.
I agree when you say love is unique to everyone. Everybody has a different way of showing their love and affection, whether it’s more reserved, outgoing, buying your significant other presents, etc.
Aw that was so heartfelt! I like that I can read your tone through your way of describing love and your personal experience/love story. This made me go “aww!” and I hope to see more of your writing in the future.
I completely agree! Love is up for interpretation and I have a similar experience and met my first love 3 years ago and we have been together for over a year and many people say it won’t last but personally I know I have found my person even though he is my first love. I loved reading your statement, it is very relatable to me!
Hi, I agree with you that friendship is a very underrated form of love. You don’t hear a lot of people talk about it. I like how you mentioned it in your essay which was very thoughtful and well written by the way.
You worded this so beautifully. I agree that love is seen and interpreted differently between everyone. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you and your first love get everything you want in life. I too got extremely lucky with my first love and I hope I can prove all those older generations wrong!
I totally agree that love is unique to every person and the way we show it or receive it cannot be defined. The way you describe many different forms of love between family and friends is very true. Wish you the best on your relationship!
I agree with you all the way here. I definitely feel love differently than others do, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t love. Like you said, it’s unique to everyone, and I think that is part of what makes you, well, you!
I agree that love is a unique experience because it is true that many people see love in different ways. I also love your representation that there is platonic love between friends and family. Overall, I believe you explained love in a beautiful way with your own experiences aswell.
I agree with your interpretation. Older people think just because we are young, we don’t understand what love is. Which I think is not vaild, I don’t think anyone truly understands love.
I love everything about your piece. I met my first love when I was in 7th grade. We have been dating since 2020 and are about to continue through college. I was able to relate to what you were saying because so many people have been telling me that it won’t work out, but they don’t know my relationship like I do. It made me feel better to see that there are a lot of other people coming into college with their high school partner. I hope everything works out with you and your partner!
I believe love is a emotion that holds significant meaning in peoples lives. It lets me and most people know the feeling of affection and closeness from friends to family bringing people together. In my opinion the most important type of love is self love. Love is that feeling that makes you strong and motivated during bad and sad times, it makes us confident knowing that people have your back and support you no matter the situation.
As I mentioned Earlier I think Self love is the most important type of love. Without self love first, I personally believe you cannot find other types of love. Self Love is finding out who you are and accepting it, being the real version of you, not acting. When you love yourself I find you are happier and tough as nails since you know your values.
On the flipside there’s also showing love too. From simple things such as holding the door for someone to more notable actions. When people are happy I think they want to do things out of kindness more in contrast of a upset or unhappy person.
Love is easier said than done especially in relationships. Love requires a lot of time and effort. Some examples are communicating, mutual trust and most importantly supporting each other. Being able to communicate and listen shows you are able to understand each other and listen to one another, while trust is the backbone of first being able to love other people, without trust you will not be able to have a good well minded relationship. Being able to support others during hard times and congratulating them during great times makes people happy and loved.
In conclusion love is a significant emotion to have in our lives. Love gives us the opportunity to make connections and bring happiness to not just our lives but to others especially when they are in need of it. I believe loving things to its brim shows what life really means at its fullest.
I agree when you say that self-love is the most important type of love. We can’t love other people and expect them to love us back if we don’t love ourselves first.
I believe that love can positively change someone. Love can be defined as an intense feeling or deep affection, whether from family, friends, or a significant other. When love enters our hearts, it has a way of unlocking potential, nurturing personal growth, and inspiring us to become the best versions of ourselves. When we are loved unconditionally, we begin to see our self-worth. This newfound self-belief empowers us to set ambitious goals, conquer our fears, and embrace growth opportunities. However, love is not without its challenges. It can be fragile and painful, as it exposes us to vulnerability and the possibility of heartbreak. Yet, it is in these moments of hardship that love demonstrates its transformative power, allowing us to learn valuable lessons, heal, and grow stronger as people. My numerous relationships and connections have made me into the person I am today, and I am constantly influenced by the love and empathy shown by others. Platonic relationships can positively impact a person’s well-being, and the importance of socializing and branching out to meet new people is vital to having a successful life. My journey has taught me that love is not merely an emotion; it is a catalyst for growth, healing, and renewal. Through love, we can navigate life’s challenges with resilience and find solace in the knowledge that we are truly never alone. Love’s transformative influence is not only limited to the individuals involved but extends to the world around them, creating a ripple effect of positivity and compassion for others. As we embrace love’s transformative potential, we open ourselves to a life filled with purpose, growth, and genuine connections with others.
I agree on how you described love. You got into depth and made it very understanding on how people view love. Self love can also be what grows someone to better find themselves.
The unique thing about “Love” is that everyone has their own beliefs about it. I remember learning that love was seeing my mother set an example; she gave me the better piece whenever we shared food, even if it was her favorite meal. To me, love meant choosing to do the same for others, it meant running to the bathroom during an AP Exam amid quarantine to assist my Great Grandfather with his business. To me, it’s the value of selflessness that makes “love” distinct.
But we see love everywhere, it presents itself in our passions, our commitments, and in our own self. It brings me everlasting joy to witness another person’s tolerance and acceptance of what we see as “flaws”. Whether they’re aware of it or not, I’m always amazed by their kindness. I’ve always found myself staring off into the distance. Maybe it’s stalkerish, but I love observing people. Something about catching a glimpse of a person in their most candid fashion is beautiful.
Love compels us to do many things, whether it be healthy or not. Obsessive behaviors can be enacted in the name of “love”, and for a while, I was afraid of experiencing the same. In the end, I couldn’t avoid extending mercy to undeserving individuals who aimed to follow only their selfish desires. Lessons were learned and boundaries eventually had to be put in place for me to distinguish the true value of love. I’m grateful that my definitions of love can expand and grow as I continue living.
For so many reasons and for none at all, love defies all rationale. It is organic and free to take on any form. Love represents itself without shame.
I believe that love is a term that cannot be described with just one word. I also believe that it cannot be described with two, or three. There is such a vast spectrum of experience that each person has with the term, that everyone describes it differently. For me, I would describe love as dangerous, thrilling, empowering, and inspiring. Here is why, through my eighteen years of being here, I have only ever been in one relationship. We have been together for an amazing three years and I am hoping we can continue as our futures branch off separately. With him, I have learned so many new things, gone to so many new places, and met so many people that I would have never seen myself socializing with if it had not been for him. He brings the thrill to my life. Sneaking out at night to see him, tip toeing around our houses to not wake anyone, that is my thrill. This boy also empowers me to live my life. Knowing that I will be able to come home and see him is what keeps me going throughout my day. With that in mind, I feel as though I can finish all schoolwork, and survive a day at work with a positive mindset instead of the alternative. His love also inspires me to do my best at whatever I am choosing to do. School projects, keeping my store as clean as it can be, he inspires me to push on, and if he can do it, I might be able to do it better. The last part about love I mentioned, the “dangerous” part, is something I believe every relationship will face (long term). By this, I mean there are times where you feel like you are losing yourself. If you are not secure about the person you are in a relationship, it can affect that negatively. You focus your time and energy on them and overthink too much. Though I do believe the solution to that problem is time. I think that love is worth it, worth the hardships and the frustrations it can bring. On the flip side love brings excitement and encouragement. So, I believe that everyone would describe love differently, therefore it cannot be described with just one word.
I completely agree with you that love cannot be described with just one word. Your story is truly amazing, and heart warming. Love is worth those hardships and frustrations but also the excitements and encouraging experiences. Thank you for sharing.
I agree that love is something we have yet to comprehend down to a single phrase, as it’s so complicated but amazing at the same time. Beautiful piece.
Love is something that should be given to all. I do not care where you came from or what color your skin might be. I do not mind if we do not share the same beliefs or the same sexuality. Love is something that we as humans have the amazing ability to give. In the society we live in today though it is not given as much as it should be. We all look at each other as pests to be terminated or an unwanted stain on our nice white life.
I live where people see me in a negative light a lot. I am a gay woman who was scared to be out in the world. I had this pre-considered notion that who I was is wrong. The hate I felt all around me made me hide away for a long time. But I found a community in early June. I saw pride happing all around me with people of all diverse types of people not hiding who they were. I found friends that were so different from me, but we shared a community. I was told one small compliment that day, “I like your pin!” it was from a woman walking by who did not know me or what it took me to be there. My pin was a small pansexual flag, something I had not been able to show ever before. That day I stopped being scared, I stopped hiding who I love.
My belief is that our world can truly thrive If we just chose love over judgment. One gesture fueled by love can change someone’s life so much more than another fueled by hate.
Thanks for sharing, Aeris. For yourself or anyone else who might find it helpful, UMassD has a list of LGBTQIA+ resources available here: https://www.umassd.edu/cwgs/lgbtqia-resources/
Your belief of love is truly amazing and I am glad you stopped hiding who you were. Love should be given to all no matter the sexuality or race. Thank you for sharing
I was raised to believe that love is the most beautiful thing to ever exist and growing up I always expected that. I have witnessed both “good love” & “ bad love” but I never thought I would grow up and witness any such thing as “ bad love” because love was described to me as the most beautiful thing to ever exist. Our generation struggles with self love and there are so many dejected people and also people who think being vengeful will let their pain go away. We live in a society where people think playing hard to get will find them their true love or will let them be respected more. There should be no “easy to get” if someone gets into a relationship with someone on the first date because everyone has different ways of how they see things & also feel emotionally. Our generation is so in love with the idea of fake love on the internet and impossible love expectations. Why should there be so much fear when it comes to love?. There are so many people whose hearts are filled with pain and anger. Expressing yourself now means you are “too weak” which causes so many people to keep their anger and pain in and rather release it onto innocent people. Our generation believes in “perfect love” due to social media. But there is no such thing as “perfect love”. Happiness in a relationship lacks so much because most people do not learn to love themselves before they love someone else because if you lack self love you will always allow other people to treat and talk to you anyhow. How can you love someone when you can’t even love yourself?I believe that those who seek to find true love will find it only if they love themselves first before loving someone else.
Love and loyalty are two profound emotions that often intertwine, yet they are distinct in numerous ways. Love, in its essence, is a deep affectionate feeling we hold for someone. It is often characterized by warmth, tenderness, and a sense of connection. Love can be intense, passionate, and sometimes, fleeting. On the other hand, loyalty represents a steadfast allegiance or faithfulness to someone or something. It’s a commitment that persists, often irrespective of changing circumstances. Loyalty might lack the fiery passion of love, but it makes up for it with consistency and reliability. While both love and loyalty are cornerstones of meaningful relationships, they differ in their nature. Love is more of an emotion, often spontaneous and overwhelming. Loyalty, however, is more of a choice or a decision, a conscious act of sticking by someone’s side. Despite their differences, love and loyalty can complement each other beautifully. Love without loyalty can be unstable and transient, while loyalty without love can feel obligatory and devoid of warmth. Together, they form a powerful combination that can withstand the test of time. In conclusion, while love and loyalty are distinct in their essence, they are both integral to deep, meaningful connections. They are two sides of the same coin, each enhancing the value of the other.
L-O-V-E. It is something that I can hear through the affirmation that I tell myself every time I look in the mirror. I can see love everyday through the cultures around me. I can taste love through my mother’s dinner every night. I can smell love through my sisters freshly baked lemon strawberry cupcakes. I can feel love through the hugs and kisses that touch my pale skin. I believe that love is a force that possesses our mind, body, and soul, and shapes our lives in unique ways.
Love in all forms can heal, inspire, and bring joy. Love helped us get through the passing of loved ones. It pushed away the storm clouds. Love gives me hope when tragedy arises and inspires when direction is lost.
I realize that we don’t live in a picture-perfect world. Every day people struggle with various conflicts, financial, romantic, and medical. I believe that if everyone practiced giving love, little by little our world would become a better place. Wars would be over. Religious conflicts would be no more and disagreements about the rights of individuals would end. We wouldn’t have to define who deserves love and who can love, any longer.
However sometimes love isn’t simple. It can be a collection of complexities. It allows a person to become vulnerable, but it also heals at its best. When love is lost it can make a person’s world flip 180°, but it also a person to grow emotionally, physically, and mentally. It teaches us lessons and it helps fix mistakes.
I believe in love. Love can builds our foundations. Love creates monumental experiences and shapes our life for the better.
Many have strong personal beliefs of love. Everyone has their own definition but categorizes it all similar. I was not a strong believer in love. But over time I developed my own opinions and thoughts about it. I am a realist when talking about love. When most people think of it or hear it they think of relationships.
Love comes in many forms for many different types of relations. A person can love or care for their animal, family and of course their significant other. There are different forms of love that come with relationships of any sort. But the one I’ll mainly speak about is how a family relationship can affect a romantic relationship. How two different kinds of love can affect one thing completely. That one thing being my personal opinion and belief on love.
Dr Helen Fisher said “Love can be broken into three categories. Attachment, attraction, and lust. “
I’m not someone who believes just because I am dating someone or related to them that I love them. I did not truly understand what love was until I was 17 years old. 17 Years trying to understand the meaning of a word that is used carelessly by many. I had believed that the word “love” was used to be able to get what you want. I had grown up learning that “I love you,” should be used for manipulation. Because of that, I obtained it as my personal belief for a while.
I obtained it because of how I was raised. My parents were not emotionally open. Not with me or my siblings. I grew up hearing the words “I love you” after being asked to do something, being yelled at, and even if my parents had done something and wanted to be forgiven. There are many scenarios but I’ll keep it short. Hearing “I love you” after arguments. Being alone with one parent during a divorce as they explain why they hate my other parent and end it with “I love you more than them so don’t tell them anything I’ve told you.” Or witnessing someone do something and being told “I love you if you love me then stay quiet.” I had heard “I loved you” during all the wrong things that I thought if I wanted to get out of trouble all I had to say was I love you.If I wanted to be forgiven I say I love you. I never thought someone could say I love you for anything other than that.
Now that is what I had believed, not what I do believe currently. At the age of 13 I had made a friend. I was in 6th grade. They were always in trouble and well I was the kid who sat in class and either slept or stood quiet. They were not. They were the complete opposite. I was the only person who never made fun of them or judged them. After 6th grade we became best friends.
They confessed to me in 8th grade. They had helped me through so many personal issues. They told me they did not expect me to reciprocate the same feelings and they were right. I did not know how to properly know if I felt attraction, attachment or lust towards them. I ignored their feelings and we stood best friends. The next three years after 8th grade would be a learning experience I never imagined to have faced. I spent the first year flirting around after knowing they liked me. I thought maybe then they would move on and date someone better than me. But by the end of the first year I was scared that maybe I would actually lose them. I dropped everyone and spoke with them again. During that time I started feeling a strong attraction to them that frightened me. It was when they were able to know my emotions and feelings before I even told them how I was feeling. When they helped me calm down because they knew I was anxious before I even knew I was. It scared me. I ran. I talked to them less for a few months, then to a year. But no matter how much I distanced myself. When I went back to them months later saying I had a crush on them. They forgave and ignored what I had done.
We spoke again for months, almost a year complete when they told me “I love you.” My heart raced and I was frightened again. My brain thought maybe they just wanted to get into my pants. Maybe revenge because I ignored them for months last time. I was frightened but this time I did not run. We ended every call with them saying “I love you” and I would not say it back. I would only say “I like you.” We were not dating. Well we never said we were. But we treated each other as if we were. We both knew we cared for each other deeply, we both felt the attraction. We could read each other like open books. We knew when the other was scared, anxious, happy, sad, mad, etc. It was not until this that I felt lust.
One week before my 17th birthday, exactly 6 days before the special day. I was on a family vacation with just my brother and me. The day we were to return home, the day our mother came to get us. We found out my parents had been arguing the whole time we were gone. That day, six days before my birthday, my mother came to get us. I received a text from my father. “I left, I packed my stuff and left. I won’t be coming back. If you love me don’t ask where I went.” That night I wanted to be alone. I was thinking of every worst case scenario and thought I did not want what my parents had and that night 6 days before my birthday I messaged my “friend.”
“I like you, I don’t know if I love you but I like you. Even though I do, I don’t think I’m ready to date. Maybe with time I will be ready but not yet.”
The following months after they did not text me anymore. I tried to date others but it did not go well. A full year passed. I was talking to someone else. It was when they said “I love you” that my brain finally connected the dots.
Attachment; being attached in a bond you didn’t know was so strong. That could affect you in every way. That it would make you compare every person you try to talk to, to that one person. That no matter who it is, they ‘ll never compare to them. I did not know if I loved them (my old crush) but the day someone else that was not them told me they loved me, I couldn’t say it back because the first person who came to my mind was not them but my old crush.
I stopped talking to them and reached out to my old crush 2 months later. Two months of stressing and worrying how they would react. 2 months and we finally called. I was making their favorite muffins. We were speaking when I realized a lot was different. I realized they moved on. I did not confess that night or anytime after that. I instead asked how they had been. How their significant other treats them and told them I was happy for them and glad they found someone who lights up their world. When they asked why I called I lied. I told them I was just curious how my old best friend had been doing. That was the last time I had ever spoken to them.
You see, I didn’t know what love was for 17 years until I heard the wrong person say it to me. It wasn’t until I realized and wished to hear it from the same person who had been telling me they loved me for 6 years. It was not until I lost them that I learned what love was to me. Love is knowing someone’s personality, knowing the ins and outs of what makes them who they are. The emotional connection that you develop with them that lets you know when they are mad, sad, upset, depressed, want space or want attention, before they tell you. When you are able to read their mood by just how they sigh. It’s understanding their dreams and goals and the hardship they went through to make them who they are. Sometimes love is knowing when it’s the right time to let them go. There are so many kinds of love that it took me 17 years to develop my own true belief of what it is. But yet again this is my own opinion on what I believe love is. Everyone has their own opinions on love, everyone has their own definition for it, and own way of expressing it. I simply just shared my own with my learning experience.
I enjoyed reading your story on Love! I completely agree with you when you say that there’s 3 different types of loves. In the moment we may not realize what ‘type’ of love we are in, but once we look back and reflect, it’s so important to still have self love within yourself. When others around you can’t love you the way you need to be loved, self love will always be the most important trait you can ever have.
The word love. Love is such a mysterious word. A word that has so much meaning all in one. Love can be a connection with a person, loving a pet, loving your family, or even loving yourself. Love is such a genuine connection for me. It is important to have self worth and self love before loving anyone else. Self love was something that ended up being a struggle for me for a long time. Until I had met my ex boyfriend, I couldn’t feel any self love at all. I had broken up with my boyfriend of a year and a half a few months ago and for the past year I’ve been on a journey of healing and self love. I didn’t want to end the relationship but I just felt we were going in such different paths and we were becoming distant from one another. Things just weren’t working out for me and him. It is extremely difficult to stop seeing someone that you’ve spent most of your time with. It was such a genuine connection that we had with one another it was extremely difficult to break that. When you’re in love with another person it feels like a soul connection for me. It was just such a deep connection for me and it felt impossible to let it go.
I’ve been spending my time learning to love myself and to live a new life without another person apart from it. I lost all of my self worth and I just didn’t know who I was anymore. I will always have love for this person and will always look out for them. They showed me what it truly is like to be loved and respected as an individual. They honestly helped me to raise my standards when looking at a person. I realized that I needed to press on and live my life. I’ve been doing just that. I’ve been hanging out with old friends I haven’t talked to, I’ve been traveling with my family, I’ve been going to concerts and having the time of my life. It has been extremely difficult to navigate a new chapter of my life but I believe I am on the right path again.
Love has impacted me in such an emotional way. It can be such a positive thing and such a negative thing. I am in a better place now that I have learned to protect my peace and my worth. I am forever grateful for the relationships I’ve had. They taught me the most important and valuable lessons. They have taught me to keep my standards high. I do believe love is real. Love is something that I don’t have to give to another person right now. Right now I am not ready just yet but when I am, I will be able to give love to that person. I will have high standards because I know my worth and how valuable I am as a person.
A core value in my realm of ideals, includes this experience called love. While it is not the highest in any regard of my current pyramid of importance, that can certainly change quickly in certain manners. This emotion of entangled soul-connectivity is almost indescribable to someone who has not felt it before, and believe me you’ll know. There is one moment in every experience where it can be recognized, I remember mine. Although mine was probably the ugliest moment of my life within the 18 years I have been on this planet infused with more pain than I could have possibly imagined, I wouldn’t take it back or change a single thing. It’s human to feel, to experience, to want to search the world for happiness, to look for memories in the present even if it results in a predetermined sadness.
Complex interpretations of different core memories and more importantly our perspectives of what one has overcome, withstanded, or even survived are what determine the drive of what one is willing or even capable of doing today. Sometimes you have to choose yourself in order to preserve your well being, even if that means leaving the person who made you excited to wake up every morning. In my experience I was choosing to fulfill a promise I had made to my younger self, and even if not for that, you have to always respect your own being. One can be in love, but also trapped in a toxic environment, an illusion. After a connection is made to the incorrect influence whom you would do almost anything for, you can easily be the brightest person in the room and still be knocked down the stairs you built with a single action of their disloyalty, betrayal or words.
All in all, while I would continue much more, I’ll tie it up here. Truly take care, respect, and even be cautious of yourself, your environment and who is surrounding you. Loyalty is a dying trait, make sure you are rich in relationships that have that currency to trade regardless if it’s just a friendship or more.
I believe in love. Love can be a very powerful thing. It surpasses everything- Culture, religion, sexuality, age (18+ ofc), struggles, etc. Love can heal. Love can save. I know personally that love can save and heal. I went through a period of life that if it weren’t for the love my mom and brother have for me, I don’t know if I would’ve made it out okay. Another instance was with one of my relatives- really bad accident, bordering death, but with love and prayers he survived and has even more love to share with his 4 year old daughter. I believe in love at first sight and soulmates (both platonic and romantic). I think people can have multiple soulmates in the platonic and romantic categories. For example, my best friend is my platonic soulmate and I’m hers. We feel as though we complete each other and we are pretty much the same person, just a different font. Another example is my dog- he’s my best friend. I love him so much and I would do anything for that little dude. As for romantic soulmates- I’ve yet to find them but I know they’re out there. And as for love at first sight, I believe in it because I’ve experienced it. I think everybody has, it’s definitely a universal thing. Love can help deflect conflicts and issues. If the world had more love for each other we wouldn’t have racism, sexism, ableism, bigotry, WAR- If we all just took ONE second to fill our hearts with love and understand each other, Earth would be a whole other planet, but for the better.
I love the response, I agree with all the things you said. I understand your perspective of how having more love in this world would eliminate a lot of the issues we have now (i.e. bigotry). If we viewed each other as equals and not being judgemental then the world would change for the better.
Love was always just a word thrown around when we were younger, but who am I supposed to know who I love? At the end of the school day we would tell our friends, “I love you”, but we truly didn’t understand the meaning of that phrase. Love comes in many different ways, shapes, and forms. Growing up, there was never a singular day that both of my parents didn’t tell me the three word phrase. Growing up like that, I knew what it was like to have a support system behind my back as my parents. I knew whether I did good, bad, beautiful, or ugly, they were always going to love me the same way. Approaching the raw age of seventeen, I would say it was a roller coaster of emotions and situations. I started the year off strong with a best friend and a boyfriend. But as time went on, too many complications occurred, and not only did I lose my boyfriend, I lost my best friend also. I went from one day all of us hanging out to suddenly the next being blocked on socials and wouldn’t answer my texts of what I did wrong or what went wrong along the way. Months passed, the leaves outside went from green to orange and yellow to falling off their branches, and I still didn’t have the closure I wanted from either of them. All those months had passed by and I felt like I hadn’t made any progress. Until one morning I woke up with this wrenching feeling in my stomach that I was over being in the same position as I was the day before, the week before, and even the months prior. I finally realized why I wasn’t making any progress and it was because I didn’t have the self love I needed for myself. Yes, I loved those around me with everything in me, but when it came to myself, there was none left. From that morning on, I did things only to benefit myself. I started going to the gym, attended therapy, had more outings with the people who meant the most to me. Months from that morning came by, but they didn’t feel like months, they felt like a dream, a fever dream. I had the support and stability I was craving and needing all along. I never received my closure with my now ex boyfriend and ex best friend, but I no longer needed it because with the amount of self love and respect I had for myself, I knew I didn’t do anything wrong and that my conscience was clean. To answer my question earlier of ‘who am I supposed to love?’ The answer may never be a singular word or a singular person, and may change as time goes on, but I am supposed to love myself and that’s the most important person to value and love.
This was so beautifully written and I agree with everything you wrote. Self-love is so important and the value and respect we have for ourselves over any relationship.
My belief is that love is one of the strongest emotions someone can feel. It can bring the best out of a person while on the other hand, it can create a toxic situation. The simplest of decisions have more thought put into it if it involves the person that you love. Doing the little things to ensure that the feeling is reciprocated and mutual. The expression of love can take many forms. When in an intimate relationship, simple actions like saying “I love you” or “Get home safely” show that you care about them. Even big things like planning an outing or for their birthday to ensure everything goes smoothly are another form of expressing your love. The feeling of wanting things to go as perfectly as possible is what comes with the emotion. On a more negative note, love can be scary. That’s why it is always important to be mindful and honest about your feelings. Especially when it pertains to something as sensitive and delicate of a feeling. Regardless if it is an intimate relationship or love shared amongst family, there are times when they may do something that hurts you. Or a decision that they made because they thought it was best for you. The commonality between the two is they were both done out of love. That being said, a facet of love is having communication which goes a long way. All in all, love is a universal language that can be felt by all.
Christionna W
Love is something that every human in this world has felt before. In pop culture today they make it seem like finding love is very easy but I believe that you will gradually find love over time as life goes on. Love isn’t just something that will spark instantly it will take time for you to become in love with the person. In some cases you may just never find that spark at all. Not every relationship you may be in you may have to love the person. For instance when I had began dating for the first time I had never fell in love with him. When I was with him I had never felt that magical feeling you are suppose to feel when you are in love. He had never shown me any sort of love or that he loved me for me. Compared to the relationship I am in now he shows me nothing but love but, love doesn’t just have to be shown with affection. It can be shown with many other ways such as spending quality time, doing something for them, trusting them, and being there for the person. Planning different types of dates do to with them can also show your love for them. In conclusion, love is an emotion that everyone has felt in some sort of way before. Even if it takes a long time, love is out there for everyone. Everything happens to a person for a reason, you never know if one day you end up meeting the love of your life.
Everybody wants love. That special someone that is there for them no matter what. Unfortunately, the love that comes from a relationship is not something that is granted unconditionally. I had to learn the hard way through many failed attempts and short-lasting relationships. I do not blame people for rejecting me, there were things that I lacked. I am thankful for those people because without them I would never have discovered the true importance of self-improvement.
Confidence, assertiveness, and on the physical side muscles and other masculine features were some of the things that I lacked. Most of which are deal breakers when it comes to finding love. I lacked any motivation to improve these things, but after my senior year ended with another devastating blow to my self-esteem, I said enough was enough. The day after my senior prom, I took my first few steps into the gym, and I have not looked back since.
For the past two months, I have been on a non-stop grind. I go to the gym daily, track my caloric intake, and I continue to try innovative ideas to improve my appearance. Seeing the change in my muscles as I lift heavier gives me such a rush. Even the projection of my voice now has a greater impact. My self-love and self-esteem are rising, and I have never felt better. I wholeheartedly believe that with my effort, the right person will come along and prove that hard work pays off. Love may not be unconditional, but improving my value to reach the necessary conditions has been the greatest life adventure.
Gabe W.
A four letter word many people of this generation say is lost, or forgotten. Love to me is a word that defines humans as a species and all their interactions, a mutual openness with someone having deep affection. It has led to so much hurt, and growth, yet also positivity. Personally what you put into it is what I think you “receive” back. These feelings can only go so far but through characteristics like focus, determination, and loyalty true love in my opinion is expressed. My friend since 9th grade Daniel and I have expressed this to each other and to our passion (our music) for the last four years. Throughout High school we both were lost at times, but through these characteristics held us strong on our path. We are now both going off to school putting our dreams into reality. “luvwander” is a verified artist and is now going to Berkeley (his dream school) while “Werthi” is doing the same at Dartmouth. One thing we both talked about in our music is this four letter word and how it has shaped us, yet others around us and in our everyday lives (meaning strangers). Myself learning with my father and my friend with his mother that people express love in different ways because of what they know/have been through and that’s okay. But as humans, we are going to have reacting emotions and as much as people love to blame others for their actions, we decide how others make us feel. So we used this to show how we overcame differences with people, because of this four letter word.
Tiffany W
Before I start, no I’m not heartbroken. My view on love is that it’s simply not real, or at least just an idea. I think movies have obstructed the real meaning of love. People say love is a feeling but my thoughts are different. I grew up a catholic and in my beliefs, Jesus died on the cross out of love for all man-kind. But love is supposed to “feel” good right? I don’t see how being nailed to a cross or persecuted can feel good, but it’s supposedly love right? Love is simply what you do despite what you feel. Just like what Jesus did for us. And I understand not everyone has that same view. But what I know is that love isn’t giving up when things get hard. Or leaving. Love is doing good to others even if they don’t see the good that you do for them to love you back. The only thing is, is that love hurts. It’s a sacrifice in which you’re willing to put someone else before you. Love is the strength of will to put yourself through pain for another human being. It’s simply one of the strongest emotions in humanity. Which also makes it our biggest weakest. See, love is like giving someone a knife and hoping they don’t use it against you. The thing is, if they do use it against you, you hand it back to them. But this time you’re asking them to. Love is a repeated cycle of picking up that knife after every betrayal. Eventually that knife would break along with that idea of love. Sometimes I think I love someone but in the end I’m okay without them. It took me a long time to realize I didn’t have to go out looking for true love in someone else. Sometimes the best form of love is letting go and loving yourself instead.
Macy B
Love. Love is all kind of things. Many have different views and ideas of the word “love” and what it means. To me, love is beautiful, love is a powerful emotion that inspires compassion and understanding. It’s the foundation of strong relationships and promotes happiness and peace in our everyday lives. Some may not agree and that’s okay! Each and every person has a different perception upon reality, and love is a part of reality.
Love does not always mean being in a relationship or being loved by someone else. Loving yourself is the most important thing of all and promotes emotional and mental well-being. I believe you can not truly love someone until you love yourself. When we love ourselves first, we take care of our needs without relying on others for happiness and fulfillment. Self-love also teaches us how to reflect on relationships we are in and realize when to let go of relationships that are unhealthy. I feel that is the most important thing to learn.
A common misconception of love is that it is easy when it’s far from that. It requires patience, respect, and most of all effort! In a relationship, love should have mutual understanding, support, and open communication. Communication is another very important concept in relationships. It allows you to help understand each other’s needs and feelings, making the bond stronger. No communication in a relationship can lead to blame, relationship anxiety, depression, and resentment in our relationships, that may increase the likelihood of heartbreak.
Being in my first relationship and actually feeling so deeply loved is a feeling I can’t find words to describe. I feel lucky that I found this type of love at such a young age because it’s so rare nowadays. My boyfriend makes me feel respected, he makes me laugh, and puts in the effort to make sure I am happy and comfortable. Being in a relationship really opened my eyes to what love in a healthy relationship should feel like and I am so grateful to feel this way. I hope everyone can find this type of love, but most importantly find self-love.
Love is many things. For one, its complicated. Things happen, people change like the seasons, confusion steps in and it all becomes too much. Love is complicated because it’s nobody else’s business, but everyone wants to know so bad. Love can be for many things. A hobby, a place, a person, a thing, an image. The list goes on forever about the number of things you could possibly love in this whole entire world.
To be loved is a feeling. A feeling that everyone would die to feel but only if it’s done right. A feeling that anyone would kill to feel, only if true. To be loved means a lot to anyone because we all need love. If you don’t like people, you have to love yourself or you’ll be lost and lonely. If you don’t love yourself, you struggle to find other people to be around because they would just make you feel insecure, hurt and bashed deep down inside. Love brings happiness. Love brings memories. Love brings hurt. Love brings pain. Love brings fuss. Love brings fight. Love brings everything. To love and to be loved is a package deal. You have to find the right person to share your love with, whether it’s a friend, a partner, or a family member. Share your love and you’; receive it back no problem. If everyone in this world would freely give out love with no charge, we’d all be happy. Love is the base of this world, and without it, even though it’s painful sometimes, we’d all be nowhere.
ADAM ELIMADI
Love, to me, is an enchanting symphony that resonates within the depths of our souls. It’s the inexplicable force that binds hearts and transcends the boundaries of time and space. Guided by my unwavering beliefs, I perceive love as an enduring commitment, a profound connection that flourishes through both sunshine and storm.
In my opinion, love is not confined by societal norms or fleeting desires. It’s an evolving dance of understanding, empathy, and acceptance. Love is the art of embracing imperfections and cherishing uniqueness. I firmly believe that true love doesn’t seek to change, but rather to nurture growth and kindle the flames of authenticity.
For me, love isn’t just a feeling; it’s a conscious choice. It’s choosing to be present, to listen with an open heart, and to stand by one another in the face of life’s challenges. Love is a sanctuary of trust, where vulnerability is a strength and communication, a lifeline.
I hold the belief that love extends beyond the romantic realm. It’s a tapestry woven between friends, family, and even the world at large. Acts of kindness, compassion, and selflessness are all manifestations of love’s boundless grace.
In a world often characterized by transience, my belief in love remains steadfast. It’s a beacon of hope, an eternal flame that warms our existence. Through the lens of my convictions, love is a journey – one that unfolds with every shared moment, every whispered dream, and every steadfast gesture.
Love is a complex subject that is viewed and felt differently by every person who experiences it. There are many forms of love, often more than meets the eye. On one hand, two friends can share a platonic bond so strong that they may love each other, however that is different from a parent’s love towards their child or the love between two significant others in a relationship. Having been fortunate enough to experience all three types of love, I can confidently say that I believe love has no limits or boundaries. For example, young couples are constantly told that their relationship will not last simply because they are young. I believe that no matter how young or old a couple is, if they have enough love in their hearts for each other, than their relationship will soar. Additionally, no matter how many boundaries, such as distance, internal struggles, or external obstacles, if their is enough love being given equally between the couple, there is no limit to what they can do together. Love can be just as dangerous as it can be incredible. If there is not enough effort put in on both sides, a relationship, no matter if it is platonic, romantic, or parental, is doomed to fail. However, in order to truly love another person, one must learn to love and care for themselves just as much. Self love can take someone very far in life, and although it is important to have relationships with others, self love is, in my opinion, the most important type of love.
Agreed love is a lot of things at once. It’s one of those things thats even hard to describe because it has so many examples that aren’t necessarily related. But to your point about young couples and that if they have enough love it can last I believe that to be true you even explain it. That if theres enough effort it can work out. It like if they put effort into sacrificing and caring for the other than that relationship will work. Great ideas bro.
Joy K
Believing in love is like believing in magic. Love brings happiness,warmth and a sense of belonging. Love is a beautiful thing that can make our hearts soar. It’s the bond that connects us to others and makes life worth living.
When we believe in love,we open ourselves to a world full of responsibilities. We believe that there is someone out there who will understand us,support us and cherish us for who we truly are. Love gives us hope and optimism even in the darkest of times.
Believing in love means believing in the power of kindness,compassion and empathy. It means that love can heal wounds, mend broken hearts and bring people together.
But believing in love also means being vulnerable. It means taking risks,stepping out of our own comfort zones and opening ourselves up to the possibility of getting hurt.
Love is not always easy but it’s worth it. The joy and happiness that love brings outweighs the pain and heartbreak. I believe that everyone deserves the same happiness and love as you.
Let’s believe in the power of love to transform our lives,to inspire us to be better and bring us closer to the people who matter the most. Let’s believe that love is a force that can conquer all obstacles and make the world a better place.
In conclusion believing in love is a choice. It’s a choice to embrace the beauty and magic that love brings into our lives. It’s a choice to be vulnerable,to take risks and open up to our hearts to the possibility of love. I believe love will never go away. So let’s believe in love and let it guide us on our journey towards happiness and fulfillment.
Love is often seen as a thing that is shared between two people but that is not the extent of what the term encapsulates. As it is also used to describe things you love such as hobbies or just the simple things that bring you enjoyment. The idea that love always needs to be this complex feeling that you share with a significant other seems strange as there are many things that I feel people would say they love. For me, music is a prime example of that thing I love, whether it be listening to it or playing an instrument it is something that always brings me enjoyment. It’s this simple aspect of love that I believe should come to mind when we think of love, not the strange feeling you get around others. I believe that people should focus on finding these things that they love as it not only brings you joy but has the possibility to bring you closer to people who also love that thing.
I believe in falling in love and that people should get a second chance being with their loved ones, even if they screwed up. everyone wants to fall in love with a perfect person, but everyone has flaws and everyone will mess up at some point. nothing is perfect.
Growing up with everyone around me is in love and in a healthy relationship. it really shown me and others how falling in love with the right person really is something important. Falling in love is supposed to be trusting someone and being honest, but as I got older, I’ve noticed my friends get into relationship’s that are in love but some that are toxic. My grandma has taught me that it will take time to find the perfect one and when I do, I will be in love until death. Researchers show that majority of marriage’s don’t last anymore and no one’s happy or someone cheats. My mom and dad have taught me that everyone is different in their own ways because God made us in that way for a reason, no one is perfect. Everyone has messed up once in their lives and will do it multiple times again and you will have to give them chances, never give up on someone and always try to fix it even if you don’t want to fix it.
I believe everyone is different and everyone should fall in love and sometimes mess up but no one should just stop and don’t care even if it really hurt you try and talk it out unless if its toxic but you need to hear both sides of every story in a relationships if your married, dating, family, friends.
Love is the most powerful force in the entire world. It can bring happiness or sadness like a roller coaster that never ends. There will always be ups and downs that will make you question if it is ever worth it at all. Love is something that one has to be patient with. You can not force love or try to manipulate it. Love can only happen naturally between two beings. It involves trust, commitment, and understanding. There isn’t an exact feeling of what love is. Most describe it with the sensation of butterflies in the stomach or the feeling of Cloud 9. While the feelings of intense butterflies and Cloud 9 are very enjoyable, love comes at a cost. It requires both parties to be vulnerable, to let their walls and guard down. Love is being able to accept someone for who they truly are for better or for worse and staying by their side no matter the circumstances.
Love is truly a remarkable thing that words can not describe and if you ever experience true love, never ever let it go.
Love and loyalty are two terms that are used synonymously in relationships. To love is to be loyal and to be loyal is a form of love. Over the past four years I’ve been made very aware that these words can be misconstrued and confused for what they aren’t. Due to my experiences, loyalty has become the value that I wish to exude most when meeting new people and in my existing relationships, whether it be with my current partner, friends or family. I value the positive use of this trait since it has been used against me for so long. In a past relationship I had a partner who claimed to love me but yet could not stay loyal. They cheated multiple times and after finding out this news I confronted them. I asked why they would do this and they could not give me an answer. Unlike them, I knew why. They lacked loyalty and as a result of this, I heavily reconsidered and questioned my love for them. I asked myself questions like, “if they loved me, why couldn’t they be loyal” and “If they can’t be loyal, do they truly love me.” This entirely contradicted my definition of love and loyalty and had me reevaluate what they mean. To me, Love is an emotion, it comes and goes just as any other feeling you may have. Loyalty is the glue that makes love stick and without loyalty, love is just a fleeting emotion, something that can be twisted, contorted and used to hurt others. This is why I value loyalty so strongly and encourage others to rethink their interpretation of the two words.
Abraham Boval
I consider love being the strongest tool that anyone and anything can hold within. Why? It fosters a ton of emotions and feelings that nobody or nothing could even imagine. It can bring a lot of pros and cons. A pro could be finding the love of your life, getting married and being happy. But a con could be increased risk of heartbreak and emotional pain, and even anxiety. Love has to be shown and not told. So telling a dog, cat or any pet you love them won’t really nudge them, they won’t know you do. You have to take care of them, make them feel at home, build a connection so they trust you. Same with humans, gain their trust, hear them out, listen and recognize and reflect on the decisions that were made during the time together.
Love can come in many different shapes and forms. You can love what you do, you can love what/who you’re going to become and you can love who you are. I love what I do, I love who and what I am going to become, and I try to love who I am now. I try to love myself now because I’m out in the real world so my actions reflect who I am without a parent telling me no. Making my own choices and decisions when I was never the type to will be an eventful transition. Overall love is the aspect of experience within humans and animals that shapes our future, relationships, perception and understanding of society.
Forgive yourself. Forgive them. Forgive whoever hurt you. It’s their first time living on this Earth too. Learning to let go, accepting what is, moving on, it’s not easy. It’s all a part of healing from what hurt you. As sad as it is, in the end time does heal all wounds. More importantly, within the time it takes for you to heal, you will learn many lessons along the way. Healing comes from realizing that you are the most important person in your life, and that you must build a relationship within yourself before forming one with anyone else. Learning to love yourself and forgive yourself and realize that you can still hurt from things you thought you healed from is okay. I believe that letting go, and detaching from expectations, people, and material things brings peace. I have yet to master this, because it’s easier to hold a grudge. It’s easier to live angry, be bitter, and make it known to others around you. It’s easier to hold everything in, and punish others by sharing nothing about yourself. Being known is a scary thing, but I believe that to love and lose, and to still be kind, is the strongest thing anyone can do. Loving everything that is, and knowing that everything happens for a reason, in the end will bring happiness. Realizing how little time we have here, how we only live in the bodies we were given once, it makes the universe feel less large. It makes you want to enjoy the little moments instead, like watching a butterfly flutter past you, watching two dogs play, or feeling a cool breeze on a hot summer day. There comes a point in life where you have to say “I’ve done all that I could.” And you release. You accept what is and the things you cannot change. With that, life goes on. And better and brighter things come along, things that are meant for you.
What is love? When you are asked what you think love is your mind usually goes to immediately your “soul mate” and the person you love most. But what is love, and how do you know you love that person? The quick and easy answer is that, you can not know what love is until you love yourself and find someone that fits your style of “love”. Self-love is an incredibly important aspect of our well-being. It involves recognizing our own value, embracing our individuality, and treating ourselves with kindness and respect. When we practice self-love, we prioritize our own needs and make choices that are in alignment with our happiness and fulfillment. It’s about acknowledging our strengths and accomplishments, while also accepting our flaws and imperfections. By nurturing ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally, we can build a strong foundation of self-love that allows us to thrive and live authentically. Love is a force that inspires us to be our best selves, to be compassionate and understanding towards others. When we learn to love ourselves, we become more open and capable of giving and receiving love from others. By practicing self-care, setting healthy boundaries, and prioritizing our own happiness, we cultivate a deep sense of love and appreciation for ourselves. This love radiates outward and attracts others who see and appreciate our value. So “love” is not an easy thing to understand and feel. Love can make you feel special and like your heart is bursting with joy and warmth. It brings a sense of connection, making you feel seen and understood, but it can also make you feel vulnerable, as it requires you to open your heart and trusting another person.
To me, love surpasses being a mere word, as it holds action. Love is the unique sincerity and unwavering commitment we are obligated to wholeheartedly offer to our cherished family members, beloved pets, dear friends, and romantic partners. The indescribable happiness we discern when witnessing our loved ones thrive is simply unparalleled. It’s the genuine willingness and unwavering devotion we wholeheartedly offer to our beloved family members, pets, friends, or significant others. Love is the unconditional support we consistently provide to our family members, constantly making an effort to assure them that they will never have to face any journey alone, regardless if it’s full of hardships or uncharted territory. It’s that remarkable bond we share with our adorable pets, showering them with endless affection and care while receiving the sensation of immeasurable comfort and heartwarming companionship back. Love is the freedom of doubt and profound understanding we share with our significant others.
Moreover, it encompasses friendships we cultivate and profoundly cherish. Love is embodied by those steadfast friends who are there for us through both challenging moments and moments of joy, listening to us without judgment and standing firmly by our side. Their enduring presence is a remarkable testament to the incredible power of love. It’s the shared responsibility when times get tough, and celebrating the joyous moments of togetherness. Love is so much more than just a word we casually toss around, it’s a process. It’s a thing you cultivate and protect, you feel obligated to be better.
The thing that I love most about life is that things can be interpreted many different ways by many different people, and love is one of them. Love can be intimate, or just something that your passionate about in general. I believe that in order to succeed and persevere through life you must first find things that you love and enjoy. For me over the years I have found my passion in the engineering field I currently am working for a construction company doing under water topography scans of the ocean floor to determine the toxicity and levelness. All of the data that I have been collecting is to help remove harmful wastes and level the ocean for the new wind turbines to be built. Before this job everywhere I worked felt like a job, and the days dragged and weren’t enjoyable, furthermore when you find something that you love it doesn’t feel like work anymore. Truth be told half the time I would rather be working, so find what makes you happy whether it be a person or a hobby. Having people and things in life that you love makes it that much more enjoyable and worth living.
Love is a raw, complex emotion that manifests itself into countless forms. It is a force that drives us to care deeply for one another, to share special moments of celebration and support those during hardships. Love can come from anyone or anything. From family connections that allow a sense of belonging, to friendships that offer companionship, and romantic relationships that ignite a flame of passion, but love is not confined to just people, it extends to a much broader and deeper connection like art, nature, and ideas. People tend to get confused with the idea of love and obsession because of how intense both can be. Love is rooted in care and respect, it is embracing your person for their perfections and imperfections, learning a sense of trust and security. This is what we call healthy love, which adds joy into our lives. Meanwhile, obsession comes from the fixation on a person or even an idea, which can lead to possessiveness, control, and an unhealthy attachment. Obsession can lead to jealousy, anxiety, and emotional manipulation, while love uplifts and empowers each other. To understand the difference between the two is very crucial for relationships and personal well-being.
I met my first love during the first year of high school, and we started dating in our junior year. Since then, I have gotten to understand the difference aspects that come to being in love. Like vulnerability and boundaries. Some people may find this to be silly or ridiculous, but I think it’s beautiful. I felt the pain that comes from a parents divorce, and seeing so many around me breaking up with their significant other, believing that maybe love isn’t real, questioning how will I know if I am in love? Until I met this person who has shown me what love is. How love in a relationship is. It isn’t easy and there will be hardships, but that’s how you grow together. It won’t always seem like rainbows and fairytales, but it still is beautiful. A big aspect to being in love with someone is loving yourself first, understanding who you are before you go to understand someone else.
Love can come in many forms like romantically, platonically and family love. Recently I have found that romantic love has been the hardest to truly understand. When I think of love I think of family and friends. My family provides me with all the necessities I need like nurture a roof over my head and food. My friends show their love for me through making me laugh and being there emotionally and mentally. However, because love is extremely subjective it looks different for everyone and I’ve seen it differentiate more through romantic love. Love hurts when your feelings aren’t being reciprocated, appreciated or even validated. This leads to disappointment and emotional pain. The vulnerability that love opens also leads you to be susceptible to heartache. If trust is broken and conflict arises and you’re left with feelings of rejection and pain. Love is intense and can also hurt when it triggers past traumas or insecurities as a result our emotional response amplifies. More times than not you act on how you are feeling rather than what you know. Additionally some unrealistic expectations or dynamic changes also lead to pain and heartache. However, In the end love is beautiful and something we all should experience. While it brings heartache it also carries joy, fulfillment and meaning to us. Love fosters strong emotional connection, encourages us to encompass empathy, and to care for one another. Love leads to profound internal growth and requires understanding, compromise and communication. Love can be a support system that enhances mental and emotional being. Love enriches us by creating these deep connections with one another. Love can bring a sense of purpose. Love is beautiful.
Love is something that is experienced through almost every human. Some might not experience romantic love in their lifetime, but that is not the only form of love. Loving something or someone is when you can barely live without it, its presence makes you feel complete. Whether that be a lover, pet, best friend, or even a certain place.
Although love can be a wonderful thing, for some it is complex. To love others you have to learn how to love yourself, truly. Be happy with the life you have, even at your lowest you have to accept that things will get better overtime, not overnight.
We get an idea of what love is at a very young age. Seeing your parents care and nurture you, you know you are loved. Seeing grandparents look at their old photos and still have the same smile, they love each other. As we get older we are able to fall in love as well. To love someone else can certainly be a hard task and not always rainbows and butterflies.
Love can be a wondrous thing, but as most of us know at this age, it can also hurt. No one is meant to be perfect, and that being said, arguments and confrontation will occur when you love someone. This is all part of love though, if one person truly loves another they will reach high to solve an issue.
Love is what a lot of people desire and crave. I believe love shapes the kind of person you are. Love is beautiful but ugly and makes you feel this kind of euphoria when you receive love but that same person who gave you love can also hurt you. Just because they love you doesn’t mean they can’t harm you. I hate seeing my friends be blinded by love that they can’t see that this person is bad for them and they don’t deserve being treated a certain way. I believe love is unrealistic in books, movies and tv shows but that is what drives me towards that genre. I love reading and watching romance because of that false idea of how love between two people should be but I know that’s not reality. I still have that hope that I can find that kind of love where you both care for each other and you would do anything to cheer them up. That kind of love where you can rely on them to hear about your day. Growing up my parents didn’t have a great relationship, so I never saw what love was supposed to look like but I did see how I wasn’t supposed to be treated. Despite growing up where I didn’t see romantic love, I still believe love is beautiful between two people who care and cherish each other. Of course there are many types of love like love for family, pets and friends, I believe that all types are still the same. You care if they are hurt or happy, you celebrate their achievements and you comfort them when they are low. All that is different is sexual intimacy or just intimacy.
Love is something truly remarkable with many hardships, but many beautiful moments too. Love can get messy at times and show the hidden sides of people you don’t want to see. However the meaning of love is very strong and the chances to reconnect with someone are boundless and endless. Destiny plays a huge role in love and what is meant to be will find a way to always comeback. Throughout all the tremendous twists love has, you are always growing along with your love. Words can begin to describe love and the feeling it blossoms emotions to life. Love to me was like a double edge sword with many beautiful moments with sad endings. The saddest thing to deal with is watching love had for someone fade slowly away. Love can be very confusing for many people and it can’t be defined because everyone has a different definition for love. The way everybody feels towards others is different and each person will connect in there own ways which is why love is so boundless. Destiny will work its magic for you and everybody meets there soulmate and finds them one day. Life is something truly touched by love and keeps everyones hopes up. Marriage is something truly indescribable to witness and its a day of pure excitement for all. Love lasts forever until the day we die and meet our lovers once again. Overall, love is truly something amazing and it significantly heightens peoples feelings and joy towards others.
Mallory L
What do I believe about love? I believe that love is not just a word, it is a real and complex feeling and as a person you get to choose who and what you love. Everyone loves and defines love differently. When growing up I would always just throw around the word “love” but as I got older I realized it is so much more than just a word. It is about how a person makes you feel when you’re around them, the respect and loyalty a person has for you, what that person has done and would do for you. I also realized that it is ok to not love a person or to fall out of love with a person, whether it be a romantic relationship, a friendship or even a family member, no one gets to tell you who you should or shouldn’t love. The love I have with my boyfriend now is nothing I’d ever felt in my life, but we wouldn’t be where we are now without ups and downs because no “love” for anyone is perfect, it takes time and patience.
As I grew up and matured I also realized that the one thing you should love overall is yourself, at the end of the day all you have is you and you can always rely on yourself. You should always treat yourself with kindness and appreciate all the things you do for yourself even if that is just eating, brushing your teeth, or taking a nap, you are doing it for yourself.
Zoey S
Love is a very complex idea and feeling; Everyone has their own points of view on love. I believe that love is the source of happiness within a soul. Love comes in all shapes and forms there is physical love, words of affirmation, acts of service, and quality time. With all these components being intertwined with one another it allows us to feel the deepest connection to each other. All a person wants to be is loved whether that is in a platonic way or a soulmate way, love is the cure to everything.
Having nobody in your life to love and care for you is the hardest thing because you have to do everything alone with no support system. Having a support system with people that love you is essential as it gives you the motivation to persevere and if you fail your loved ones will be there to help you no matter what. Unconditional love is one of the deepest forms of love there is. It means that someone is willing to love you or be in love with you no matter the circumstances, and this is key to a healthy relationship because you should love every part of the person you decide to spend your time with.
From my personal experiences I have only ever been happy when I knew that my mom was there for me even if I was struggling and she did not look at me differently, she was there for me, she loved me, and that is the greatest thing I could have ever asked for. It is human nature to love, and loving one another brings out the best in everyone.
Love is a very big word I believe. It’s said so easily sometimes. “Oh I love this song!” … “You will love this show!” … So on and so on. And sometimes it’s said with heavy meaning behind it. “I love you.” … “They were loved.” … So on and so on. Love carries a heavy load. The word, the action, the emotion. Even if I’m young, I’ve experienced love trials. Family, friends and partners. I’ve learned just because they are related to you it doesn’t make them family. It also means you don’t have to love them. In addition I have learned that you can’t help who you love sometimes. It just happens. Love has helped me conquer my greatest struggles, my lowest and darkest times. Using all these lessons I’ve learned about love has helped me in achieving that. Love has shown me passion, helped me choose a trade to learn in highschool. That has then helped me choose a major for college. Love can be tangled with other feelings. Love is complicated. Love opens your eyes. Though, love also closes your eyes. Love expands your horizons. Love hides you away in a box. Love is difficult to navigate. It is different for everyone. Some people can say it so easily, while some people struggle with it. Love looks different on everyone, receiving and giving. As I said before, I believe love is a really big word. It means so much more than just 3 words put together to show affection or level of interest. I also believe love is the strongest weapon, the most powerful tool, and the biggest wall halting either side.
I believe love is one of the most complex human experiences. Love is an emotion that goes beyond our boundaries and reaches the deepest parts of our hearts. It holds immense significance in our lives, shown in many different ways such as our relationships, self-being, and the base of society.
Love is a huge part of our well-being. It gives us a sense of belonging, acceptance, and support which allows us to thrive. Love nurtures our self-esteem, boosts our confidence, and allows us to travel through life challenges. It acts as a source of comfort during hard times, which promotes mental health, reduces stress, and enhances our overall happiness.
Love is the foundation of healthy and fulfilling relationships. It forms a connection with multiple people throughout our lives such as our partners, family, and friends. It encourages a healthy relationship by enabling a safe space for open conversations, fostering empathy, compassion, and understanding. This creates trust and a mutual environment for growth and personal development. This emotion helps enrich our lives with shared experiences including lots of laughter and support.
Not only does love benefit us individually but it extends beyond that by having an impact on society as a whole. Love encourages acts of kindness, acceptance, selflessness, and generosity, which all create a ripple effect creating a sense of community, positivity, and goodwill. Love transcends differences, breaking down barriers of race, religion, and nationality, promoting inclusivity and acceptance.
Love is an essential and transformational emotion in our lives. Let us cherish and nurture love, for it is the essence of our humanity.
Love is many things, love is beautiful, love is powerful, love can hurt, love can leave you questioning yourself, love is learning to appreciate who you are, love builds character, love motivates, and most importantly love is realizing that the people you care about aren’t always perfect but you still choose to love them. Some people might argue they don’t think love is real and that’s perfectly understandable, everyone’s experiences are different, but personally I believe that because there are so many kinds and ways to love, it’s nearly impossible for it not to exist.
We often think of love as romantic love but self love is just as important. Many make the mistake of trying to look for someone when they still can’t love themselves. I always was looking for someone to make me happier because I chased the feeling of being wanted but now I’ve started to understand I need to learn to love myself before I put myself out there again. When you don’t love who you are, how do you expect someone else to love you?
While looking for romantic love I realized there are other aspects of love and I hope others don’t get caught up only thinking romance as the only kind. At one point I too started not to believe in love but experiencing other kinds of love has caused me to start believing again. I hope our generation starts believing in real relationships again because we all know we need to work on it!
Love is such a broad and beautiful force, a force that drives the body, mind and soul to work, to improve, to live. Love can refer to a plethora of things – adoration in another person, loyalty to one’s confidants, passion for an artform, and so much more.
I believe that love is the deepest and purest emotion a person can feel, and it is the heart and mind’s most powerful fuel. Love for what you do and the people around you is what makes life beautiful and worthwhile, colorful and full of meaning. What are the people around you – your friends, family, co-workers, classmates, lovers, even enemies – without love but faceless numbers? And love spans even further than that.
Without love, one can never strive, never find reason for what they do or even who they are. Why do something, work years and even lifetimes for, sacrifice hours, days, months, years paving a path to a destination you have no love for, no actual pull towards? Why even dress, act, or be a certain way if you don’t love who you are in the process? You are not truly yourself until you love the skin you occupy, the lungs you breathe through, the brain and heart that power you. You cannot truly strive to improve yourself if you don’t have the love to see yourself improve, nor love what you aim to become.
For this, I believe that love is the purest motivator in every factor of life.
I believe in love. Love is a lot of things, it is companionship, it is a spirit, it is a feeling, it is sacrifice, it is selflessness, it is all these things. That being said I believe in love because it is love that overcomes. I guess the definition of love that I prescribe too is to bring out the best in another even to the detriment of yourself. Wether that be jeopardizing your comfortability in telling someone the truth in order to better them, or giving someone your meal so they can eat while you starve. This type of love truly is the most potent and deep kind of love. One that is self sacrificial and has great substance. This is the type of love that overcomes hate and evil. The world in of itself is evil. All around the world there is hate. In Africa, exploitation, in Europe, corruption, in Asia, obsession with power, in the Americas, division. The root of this evil however is our human condition. People are capable of great evil and likewise of great love. Such is the duality of man, but over and over again we tend to choose ourselves over the establishment and well being of others. We’re all guilty of this. Every one of us has passed a homeless man on the street and gave him nothing when capable of giving him something. Or refused to tell someone the truth in fear of the un-comfortability it may cause us. Or using and manipulating someone into doing something even if you know at the end of the day it’s not in their best interest. Not one of us is above the capability of evil. In Romans 3:23-24 it states “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We all have expressed evil and hate and have not loved others. Even so it is love that we ultimately must hope for and it is love that saves us. That being a greater love, the love of God. If you ever look at the world and question to think how all the bad things that happen can be resolved look no further than the love displayed on the cross. When God decided to sacrifice his son for the redemption of humanity, for our lack of love. This is what I hope in and what I believe in, this is what I know, that love will save the world.
I believe that true love will stand strong no matter the circumstances. Before students come to college, they have to decide if they are going to leave their high school relationship behind or if they will give long-distance a shot. Personally, I believe that in most situations people should give it a try. There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t give it a try, but in the end, the worst thing that can happen is that it won’t work out. Being in a long-distance relationship may be hard, but it also opens up so many different opportunities. It allows you to grow with your partner while also being able to still find your identity. It helps you learn responsibility between making time for your partner and also having your own time and getting all of your college work done. Having somebody that you know loves you unconditionally and is always by your side is such a good feeling. Long-distance relationships are definitely scary, but if you believe that you found the one then there is no reason to give up on that. It’s all about commitment, communication, trust, and honesty. As long as you stay true to your morals and to your partner, everything should be okay. There is no reason to break something that isn’t broken. Don’t sacrifice something that you want most for something you want in the moment. Your relationship is your relationship, and you would know it best, so don’t let other people talk you out of trying to make it work. If you and your partner are on the same page, then that’s the best you can do. Good luck to those of you who are entering college and staying in your high school relationship. We are on the same page!
July 2, 2023 at 7:16 pm
Love is a complex and multifaceted emotion that holds immense power and significance in human experience. It transcends boundaries, cultures, and time, and has been a source of inspiration, joy, and fulfillment throughout history. Love can be found in various forms, including romantic love, familial love, platonic love, and self-love. It is a fundamental aspect of human connection and plays a vital role in our personal growth and well-being.
Love is not merely a fleeting feeling but a deep and profound connection that extends beyond superficial attractions or infatuations. It encompasses empathy, compassion, understanding, and acceptance. Love is a choice, an active commitment to care for and support another person’s happiness and well-being. It involves sacrifice, compromise, and the willingness to put someone else’s needs before our own.
Love is both powerful and vulnerable. It can bring immense joy and fulfillment but also leaves us susceptible to pain and heartbreak. Love requires trust and vulnerability, as opening oneself up to love means exposing the deepest parts of our being to another person.
Love is not always easy or perfect. It requires effort, communication, and understanding to navigate the challenges that arise within relationships. It involves growth and adaptation as individuals and as a couple.
Love is a force that has the potential to transform lives. It has the power to heal, to inspire, and to create profound connections between individuals. Love is a precious gift that should be nurtured, cherished, and celebrated. It holds the capacity to bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and its presence enriches human experience in immeasurable ways.
July 10, 2023 at 2:32 am
Brianna H
Hi! I agree with everything that you said. I think that love comes in different forms and depending on the person, they may experience it differently. I think it is extremely important that love requires communication, and you perfectly described that. I think your post is beautifully written and empathizes your beliefs clearly.
July 19, 2023 at 8:02 pm
I conquer with you when you say love is both powerful and vulnerable, nor is it easy or perfect. But I think that because love is so imperfect and up to our own interpretation, that’s what makes it perfect.
July 23, 2023 at 4:33 am
Loved the way you wrote this, it’s so concise and can be read so smoothly. I agree with your idea that love is not easy but ultimately matters more than most would think. I can’t wait to see you in the fall 😀
August 2, 2023 at 7:18 pm
You’ve beautifully captured the essence of love and its multifaceted nature. Love indeed holds a unique and profound place in human experience, transcending boundaries and influencing various aspects of our lives. It’s a dynamic interplay of emotions, choices, vulnerability, and growth that can bring both incredible joy and challenges. The recognition of love as a transformative force highlights its potential to shape our relationships, personal development, and overall well-being.
August 11, 2023 at 3:58 am
Maddie P
I agree that love is a very powerful emotion. There are many forms of love and it’s one of the strongest feelings that humans experience. I believe that love consumes a person because it changes the way we think and feel about ourselves or a significant other. It can be both positive and negative depending on the kind of love and how it is expressed among ourselves and others. It can cause heart break and extreme pain, or it can bring a fulfilling and happy lifestyle. The world thrives off of love and acceptance. Being human means that love is an emotion we experience and live with throughout our lives. It teaches many great and hard life lessons. It can also create an amazing bond between people or destroy a person’s sanity. Humans thrive off of love and the feeling. We enjoy being connected to others around us because the love we feel around certain people stimulates happiness in the human brain. Love is a passionate feeling and I believe that it can be traumatizing as well as the feeling of pure happiness depending on your connection with the other human that you share your love with. People impact our lives everyday and love is an emotion we deal with each day. Everyone experiences love in different ways and has a different point of view on what it means, but I strongly believe that there is good and passionate love as well as dark and hurtful ways to love. The kind of love we have experienced in the past or in the present has an effect on who we are. The mind is a very powerful tool and it can change beliefs based on experience. Love is one of the emotions that controls how we react and respond to others around us.
August 14, 2023 at 6:36 pm
I agree with everything you wrote Maddie every moment from birth to death determines how we interpret love, each and every experience effects our everyday life. I couldn’t have stated it better myself well put.
August 14, 2023 at 11:46 pm
This writing is amazing and the words used fit everything together perfectly. This is one of the best and many descriptions for love possible out there.
August 15, 2023 at 12:46 am
You cannot live without love, it’s impossible.
Love is something you need to survive. Love is a driving force that makes you want to be a better person. If you dont have love you lose the motivation you need to be passionate about things. One of our biggest needs is to seek out love from others. Love is a crucial part in childhood development and throughout all stages of life. It’s opening yourself in every way to give it to someone else. It’s knowing that no matter what you be what that person needs when they need it. Love is something that touches the soul and awakens something inside. Love isnt just a mental need, its physical. The feeling of love produces dopamine which is a feel good chemical. Love can be euphoric. You cannot thrive in a loveless environment. Love brings out the best versions of yourself that you didnt know you had. Love is a willingness to understand another person, how they react to things, their habits, recognizing their needs and things like that. It makes you kind. Love is incredibly hard, but keeping it and cherishing it with every life tribulation and triumph, every set back or jolt forward, making sure it doesn’t diminish that is what makes it hard, Love makes youcompassionate, thoughtful. Love makes you learn someone’s favorite recipes to try and give them something they like. Love is hearing songs and automatically thinking of someone and smiling. Love is the foundation of life. Love is the only constant in this rapidly changing world.
August 15, 2023 at 2:56 am
I really enjoyed reading this and it was extremely well written. I also love how you said that love was a choice and a commitment and I could not agree more. Because even though sometimes love takes effort and patience, it is very well worth it. I feel that when we choose to love it grows our character and capacity to feel something as human beings as well.
July 2, 2023 at 8:45 pm
Kylie W
One of my core beliefs is that no one can love you, more than yourself. As everyone has worked so hard to get where they are, many have learned that they had to provide for themselves. I was the one up late at night studying for exams or doing all the homework until 3 am. I was the one who did the AP classes and all honors to make myself look good for college applications. I was the one who applied to colleges, did all the paperwork, and is paying for their college education. The one thing I have learned in the past 18 years that the one thing you can always love and rely on is yourself. Even through the hard days when you feel there is no brightness in the day or that you’re working too hard, your self love can help push you through. It can truly show how to be more confident and stand up for yourself in any given situation. It’s important to remember that when you feel alone or small in the world, you always have yourself to support you. Self worth and love is so important as it has gotten me to where I am today. Which has led to putting myself out of my comfort zone to pursue Nursing, even when I thought it may be too hard for me. Although I have felt alone in my experiences and that I am working hard all by myself, I like to always look back on my belief that my love for myself is the best form of love I can receive.
July 9, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Hi Kylie,
You’re writing on your beliefs on love was amazing. Self love is important and without it, it makes getting through tough situations a lot harder. Not many people have self love and the fact that you do and feel so strongly about it makes me applaud you. Your self love has pushed you to where you are today and it is going to keep doing so. I’ve always tried focusing on loving myself and it has not always been the easiest, I think it was one of the hardest things I had to realize because we can be our biggest critics to ourselves.
July 10, 2023 at 2:35 am
Brianna H
I agree! I do not think that you are capable of loving someone unless you love yourself. I am in the same boat as you, I am the one who studied hard for my honors and APs and I am the one who did the college process alone. I am also paying for my college tuition alone and I am so proud of myself–and you should be too. It is important to love yourself to survive this world, even if it is just one step at a time.
July 15, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Hi,
wow I love this writing that you have submitted. I 100% agree with you self love is the most important love. I have been struggling with that myself and reading this has made me feel a lot better. Thank you
July 23, 2023 at 4:31 am
This is a great piece, I can feel your vigor and it truly makes me feel compelled to take action in my life. It is well written and your composure during those harsh times of relying on yourself is beyond respectable. This courage is going to carry you through college and I know you’ll continue doing so.
July 29, 2023 at 7:25 pm
I agree with you. you can not love someone else until you love yourself. A lot of people struggle with that and I’m glad you understand how important self love is and how can impact your life.
July 29, 2023 at 7:51 pm
I definitely agree you are the only person that can love yourself more than anyone
August 10, 2023 at 11:25 pm
Karissa D
I think this is all so true! Self love is really the best medicine. To kind of add on to what you said, I also think that in order to be in a relationship, you have to love yourself first. If you don’t like yourself, then loving someone else is going to be so much harder. Self love is everything. I hope that your mind rests a little easier knowing that you did all the hard work and you’re now attending college! Best of luck<3
August 11, 2023 at 12:40 am
I totally agree with this writing about self love because at the end of the day you will always have your self and you always have to make the best out of your life.
August 21, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Brennan A
I 100% agree with you, similar to your blog I wrote about self love and how you have to love yourself to progress through tough obstacles. The way you describe how you overcame your challenges shows great imagery and motivation to others and myself. What I learned from your blog was self love played a big part in your life.
July 6, 2023 at 12:18 am
Alex V
While it may seem obvious at first many have questioned the idea of love. Is love a real observable force or nothing more than a shared idea? In the world of science love is a high level of dopamine and hormones acting out towards an attraction. Many would end an argument there on the idea if love is truly real. How much more could love be if it is found to be a combination of chemicals in the body. Many have also argued on popularized concepts of things like love at first sight. Again it may seem dumb to question this as you have probably felt some form of love for another thing or being before, but the question lies in how it is felt. If love is a real feeling and not just a chemical being released could one say it actually exists. When one feels love for another, the understanding the brain makes of those feelings isn’t the same for person to person. The understanding of these feelings in each person is different and thus can it be called love. That is the real underlying argument in all this, is can you truely call this collective feeling of love when it isn’t constant among people. For a time I felt like a solid argument could be made as if from person to person this idea doesn’t line up. How could you call it real? It wasn’t until I gave it some thought of my own and viewed my own experiences that I was able to really answer this question I heard about online. I looked over many factual stories as well as recalling instances where I decided to do something because of a feeling of attraction. There are many recorded instances of seemingly impossible things occurring in the name of love. For instance a man in 2017 lifted a portion of a car off of a family member. Bodybuilders are able to lift a good sized car, but this man was an average dude who said himself struggled to go up flights of stairs with all the groceries according to his story. The reason he was able to lift this car was a massive adrenaline boost that allowed him to lift the car. The only issue in this entire story is the reason for this much adrenaline to the point of it wearing off and causing him to collapse doesn’t have a sound explanation. The only solid answer we the public have is the fear of losing a loved one and that strong desire to remain with that loved one gave him this strength. It is a heartwarming story and others like it are all over the world. While for many the question of does love exist seems simple with a clear answer many have really thought about it and came to clear answers. My take on this matter lies in that story and yes love is not just real, but an observable force that pushes humanity forward.
July 10, 2023 at 2:38 am
Brianna H
I completely agree! I think love is not only a feeling but a force. There is a reason that we act the way we do because of love. I wonder what other stories exist because of love. Love makes us care for others in a way that is not normal to others–it is unique to us and allows us to differ from one another.
July 29, 2023 at 7:53 pm
I love how you worded everything and I agree with you.
July 10, 2023 at 2:13 am
Brianna H
What do I believe about love? Well, I believe love is up for interpretation. Everyone defines love in their ways–whether it is through buying your significant other a present, a parent sacrificing their dreams for their children or letting the one you loved most go. Love has no age limit or time limit. Some people might fall in love with someone they see across the street or someone they have known their whole life.
It’s hard to describe what the feeling of love is. I learned multiple lessons about love throughout my 18 years. I met my first love at the beginning of the senior year–during the summer. Older generations may look down upon teenage love and say that, “it will never last” or that “it’s foolish,” but I think they are wrong. I understand love as that warm feeling you have when you see someone who automatically lifts your mood. The one who cares for you the most and no matter what they are going through, they will always put you first. If I am being honest, I got lucky with my first love and hope others experience it too someday.
Love is not always shown through romantic relationships–the most underrated love is shown through friendship. The type of friends that will always be by your side–through thick and thin to make sure you are okay and allows you to grow to better yourself and others.
I believe love is unique to each person and should be appreciated more.
July 19, 2023 at 7:59 pm
I agree when you say love is unique to everyone. Everybody has a different way of showing their love and affection, whether it’s more reserved, outgoing, buying your significant other presents, etc.
July 23, 2023 at 4:26 am
Aw that was so heartfelt! I like that I can read your tone through your way of describing love and your personal experience/love story. This made me go “aww!” and I hope to see more of your writing in the future.
August 1, 2023 at 4:32 pm
I completely agree! Love is up for interpretation and I have a similar experience and met my first love 3 years ago and we have been together for over a year and many people say it won’t last but personally I know I have found my person even though he is my first love. I loved reading your statement, it is very relatable to me!
August 10, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Hi, I agree with you that friendship is a very underrated form of love. You don’t hear a lot of people talk about it. I like how you mentioned it in your essay which was very thoughtful and well written by the way.
August 10, 2023 at 11:28 pm
You worded this so beautifully. I agree that love is seen and interpreted differently between everyone. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you and your first love get everything you want in life. I too got extremely lucky with my first love and I hope I can prove all those older generations wrong!
August 12, 2023 at 9:44 pm
I totally agree that love is unique to every person and the way we show it or receive it cannot be defined. The way you describe many different forms of love between family and friends is very true. Wish you the best on your relationship!
August 13, 2023 at 10:49 pm
I agree with you all the way here. I definitely feel love differently than others do, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t love. Like you said, it’s unique to everyone, and I think that is part of what makes you, well, you!
August 14, 2023 at 7:00 pm
I agree that love is a unique experience because it is true that many people see love in different ways. I also love your representation that there is platonic love between friends and family. Overall, I believe you explained love in a beautiful way with your own experiences aswell.
August 14, 2023 at 9:22 pm
I agree with your interpretation. Older people think just because we are young, we don’t understand what love is. Which I think is not vaild, I don’t think anyone truly understands love.
August 15, 2023 at 1:44 am
I love everything about your piece. I met my first love when I was in 7th grade. We have been dating since 2020 and are about to continue through college. I was able to relate to what you were saying because so many people have been telling me that it won’t work out, but they don’t know my relationship like I do. It made me feel better to see that there are a lot of other people coming into college with their high school partner. I hope everything works out with you and your partner!
July 16, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Brennan A
I believe love is a emotion that holds significant meaning in peoples lives. It lets me and most people know the feeling of affection and closeness from friends to family bringing people together. In my opinion the most important type of love is self love. Love is that feeling that makes you strong and motivated during bad and sad times, it makes us confident knowing that people have your back and support you no matter the situation.
As I mentioned Earlier I think Self love is the most important type of love. Without self love first, I personally believe you cannot find other types of love. Self Love is finding out who you are and accepting it, being the real version of you, not acting. When you love yourself I find you are happier and tough as nails since you know your values.
On the flipside there’s also showing love too. From simple things such as holding the door for someone to more notable actions. When people are happy I think they want to do things out of kindness more in contrast of a upset or unhappy person.
Love is easier said than done especially in relationships. Love requires a lot of time and effort. Some examples are communicating, mutual trust and most importantly supporting each other. Being able to communicate and listen shows you are able to understand each other and listen to one another, while trust is the backbone of first being able to love other people, without trust you will not be able to have a good well minded relationship. Being able to support others during hard times and congratulating them during great times makes people happy and loved.
In conclusion love is a significant emotion to have in our lives. Love gives us the opportunity to make connections and bring happiness to not just our lives but to others especially when they are in need of it. I believe loving things to its brim shows what life really means at its fullest.
July 19, 2023 at 7:58 pm
I agree when you say that self-love is the most important type of love. We can’t love other people and expect them to love us back if we don’t love ourselves first.
August 14, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Self love is important and working to love other is as well. It was written very well and thought through.
July 19, 2023 at 7:57 pm
Rachael C
I believe that love can positively change someone. Love can be defined as an intense feeling or deep affection, whether from family, friends, or a significant other. When love enters our hearts, it has a way of unlocking potential, nurturing personal growth, and inspiring us to become the best versions of ourselves. When we are loved unconditionally, we begin to see our self-worth. This newfound self-belief empowers us to set ambitious goals, conquer our fears, and embrace growth opportunities. However, love is not without its challenges. It can be fragile and painful, as it exposes us to vulnerability and the possibility of heartbreak. Yet, it is in these moments of hardship that love demonstrates its transformative power, allowing us to learn valuable lessons, heal, and grow stronger as people. My numerous relationships and connections have made me into the person I am today, and I am constantly influenced by the love and empathy shown by others. Platonic relationships can positively impact a person’s well-being, and the importance of socializing and branching out to meet new people is vital to having a successful life. My journey has taught me that love is not merely an emotion; it is a catalyst for growth, healing, and renewal. Through love, we can navigate life’s challenges with resilience and find solace in the knowledge that we are truly never alone. Love’s transformative influence is not only limited to the individuals involved but extends to the world around them, creating a ripple effect of positivity and compassion for others. As we embrace love’s transformative potential, we open ourselves to a life filled with purpose, growth, and genuine connections with others.
July 21, 2023 at 4:34 pm
I agree on how you described love. You got into depth and made it very understanding on how people view love. Self love can also be what grows someone to better find themselves.
September 1, 2023 at 2:13 pm
Very well written! I definitely believe love can change people.
July 23, 2023 at 4:22 am
Avy T
The unique thing about “Love” is that everyone has their own beliefs about it. I remember learning that love was seeing my mother set an example; she gave me the better piece whenever we shared food, even if it was her favorite meal. To me, love meant choosing to do the same for others, it meant running to the bathroom during an AP Exam amid quarantine to assist my Great Grandfather with his business. To me, it’s the value of selflessness that makes “love” distinct.
But we see love everywhere, it presents itself in our passions, our commitments, and in our own self. It brings me everlasting joy to witness another person’s tolerance and acceptance of what we see as “flaws”. Whether they’re aware of it or not, I’m always amazed by their kindness. I’ve always found myself staring off into the distance. Maybe it’s stalkerish, but I love observing people. Something about catching a glimpse of a person in their most candid fashion is beautiful.
Love compels us to do many things, whether it be healthy or not. Obsessive behaviors can be enacted in the name of “love”, and for a while, I was afraid of experiencing the same. In the end, I couldn’t avoid extending mercy to undeserving individuals who aimed to follow only their selfish desires. Lessons were learned and boundaries eventually had to be put in place for me to distinguish the true value of love. I’m grateful that my definitions of love can expand and grow as I continue living.
For so many reasons and for none at all, love defies all rationale. It is organic and free to take on any form. Love represents itself without shame.
July 29, 2023 at 4:24 pm
Love
I believe that love is a term that cannot be described with just one word. I also believe that it cannot be described with two, or three. There is such a vast spectrum of experience that each person has with the term, that everyone describes it differently. For me, I would describe love as dangerous, thrilling, empowering, and inspiring. Here is why, through my eighteen years of being here, I have only ever been in one relationship. We have been together for an amazing three years and I am hoping we can continue as our futures branch off separately. With him, I have learned so many new things, gone to so many new places, and met so many people that I would have never seen myself socializing with if it had not been for him. He brings the thrill to my life. Sneaking out at night to see him, tip toeing around our houses to not wake anyone, that is my thrill. This boy also empowers me to live my life. Knowing that I will be able to come home and see him is what keeps me going throughout my day. With that in mind, I feel as though I can finish all schoolwork, and survive a day at work with a positive mindset instead of the alternative. His love also inspires me to do my best at whatever I am choosing to do. School projects, keeping my store as clean as it can be, he inspires me to push on, and if he can do it, I might be able to do it better. The last part about love I mentioned, the “dangerous” part, is something I believe every relationship will face (long term). By this, I mean there are times where you feel like you are losing yourself. If you are not secure about the person you are in a relationship, it can affect that negatively. You focus your time and energy on them and overthink too much. Though I do believe the solution to that problem is time. I think that love is worth it, worth the hardships and the frustrations it can bring. On the flip side love brings excitement and encouragement. So, I believe that everyone would describe love differently, therefore it cannot be described with just one word.
August 1, 2023 at 10:53 am
I completely agree with you that love cannot be described with just one word. Your story is truly amazing, and heart warming. Love is worth those hardships and frustrations but also the excitements and encouraging experiences. Thank you for sharing.
August 14, 2023 at 7:50 pm
I agree that love is something we have yet to comprehend down to a single phrase, as it’s so complicated but amazing at the same time. Beautiful piece.
July 29, 2023 at 6:55 pm
Aeris K
Love is something that should be given to all. I do not care where you came from or what color your skin might be. I do not mind if we do not share the same beliefs or the same sexuality. Love is something that we as humans have the amazing ability to give. In the society we live in today though it is not given as much as it should be. We all look at each other as pests to be terminated or an unwanted stain on our nice white life.
I live where people see me in a negative light a lot. I am a gay woman who was scared to be out in the world. I had this pre-considered notion that who I was is wrong. The hate I felt all around me made me hide away for a long time. But I found a community in early June. I saw pride happing all around me with people of all diverse types of people not hiding who they were. I found friends that were so different from me, but we shared a community. I was told one small compliment that day, “I like your pin!” it was from a woman walking by who did not know me or what it took me to be there. My pin was a small pansexual flag, something I had not been able to show ever before. That day I stopped being scared, I stopped hiding who I love.
My belief is that our world can truly thrive If we just chose love over judgment. One gesture fueled by love can change someone’s life so much more than another fueled by hate.
July 30, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Thanks for sharing, Aeris. For yourself or anyone else who might find it helpful, UMassD has a list of LGBTQIA+ resources available here: https://www.umassd.edu/cwgs/lgbtqia-resources/
August 1, 2023 at 10:51 am
Your belief of love is truly amazing and I am glad you stopped hiding who you were. Love should be given to all no matter the sexuality or race. Thank you for sharing
July 29, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Tracey O.T
I was raised to believe that love is the most beautiful thing to ever exist and growing up I always expected that. I have witnessed both “good love” & “ bad love” but I never thought I would grow up and witness any such thing as “ bad love” because love was described to me as the most beautiful thing to ever exist. Our generation struggles with self love and there are so many dejected people and also people who think being vengeful will let their pain go away. We live in a society where people think playing hard to get will find them their true love or will let them be respected more. There should be no “easy to get” if someone gets into a relationship with someone on the first date because everyone has different ways of how they see things & also feel emotionally. Our generation is so in love with the idea of fake love on the internet and impossible love expectations. Why should there be so much fear when it comes to love?. There are so many people whose hearts are filled with pain and anger. Expressing yourself now means you are “too weak” which causes so many people to keep their anger and pain in and rather release it onto innocent people. Our generation believes in “perfect love” due to social media. But there is no such thing as “perfect love”. Happiness in a relationship lacks so much because most people do not learn to love themselves before they love someone else because if you lack self love you will always allow other people to treat and talk to you anyhow. How can you love someone when you can’t even love yourself?I believe that those who seek to find true love will find it only if they love themselves first before loving someone else.
August 14, 2023 at 7:51 pm
I agree self love is so important and it really can get you places. To love someone else is loving yourself too. Great piece :).
July 29, 2023 at 10:49 pm
Love and loyalty are two profound emotions that often intertwine, yet they are distinct in numerous ways. Love, in its essence, is a deep affectionate feeling we hold for someone. It is often characterized by warmth, tenderness, and a sense of connection. Love can be intense, passionate, and sometimes, fleeting. On the other hand, loyalty represents a steadfast allegiance or faithfulness to someone or something. It’s a commitment that persists, often irrespective of changing circumstances. Loyalty might lack the fiery passion of love, but it makes up for it with consistency and reliability. While both love and loyalty are cornerstones of meaningful relationships, they differ in their nature. Love is more of an emotion, often spontaneous and overwhelming. Loyalty, however, is more of a choice or a decision, a conscious act of sticking by someone’s side. Despite their differences, love and loyalty can complement each other beautifully. Love without loyalty can be unstable and transient, while loyalty without love can feel obligatory and devoid of warmth. Together, they form a powerful combination that can withstand the test of time. In conclusion, while love and loyalty are distinct in their essence, they are both integral to deep, meaningful connections. They are two sides of the same coin, each enhancing the value of the other.
August 1, 2023 at 12:44 am
L-O-V-E. It is something that I can hear through the affirmation that I tell myself every time I look in the mirror. I can see love everyday through the cultures around me. I can taste love through my mother’s dinner every night. I can smell love through my sisters freshly baked lemon strawberry cupcakes. I can feel love through the hugs and kisses that touch my pale skin. I believe that love is a force that possesses our mind, body, and soul, and shapes our lives in unique ways.
Love in all forms can heal, inspire, and bring joy. Love helped us get through the passing of loved ones. It pushed away the storm clouds. Love gives me hope when tragedy arises and inspires when direction is lost.
I realize that we don’t live in a picture-perfect world. Every day people struggle with various conflicts, financial, romantic, and medical. I believe that if everyone practiced giving love, little by little our world would become a better place. Wars would be over. Religious conflicts would be no more and disagreements about the rights of individuals would end. We wouldn’t have to define who deserves love and who can love, any longer.
However sometimes love isn’t simple. It can be a collection of complexities. It allows a person to become vulnerable, but it also heals at its best. When love is lost it can make a person’s world flip 180°, but it also a person to grow emotionally, physically, and mentally. It teaches us lessons and it helps fix mistakes.
I believe in love. Love can builds our foundations. Love creates monumental experiences and shapes our life for the better.
August 1, 2023 at 10:45 am
Three Categories of Love
Many have strong personal beliefs of love. Everyone has their own definition but categorizes it all similar. I was not a strong believer in love. But over time I developed my own opinions and thoughts about it. I am a realist when talking about love. When most people think of it or hear it they think of relationships.
Love comes in many forms for many different types of relations. A person can love or care for their animal, family and of course their significant other. There are different forms of love that come with relationships of any sort. But the one I’ll mainly speak about is how a family relationship can affect a romantic relationship. How two different kinds of love can affect one thing completely. That one thing being my personal opinion and belief on love.
Dr Helen Fisher said “Love can be broken into three categories. Attachment, attraction, and lust. “
I’m not someone who believes just because I am dating someone or related to them that I love them. I did not truly understand what love was until I was 17 years old. 17 Years trying to understand the meaning of a word that is used carelessly by many. I had believed that the word “love” was used to be able to get what you want. I had grown up learning that “I love you,” should be used for manipulation. Because of that, I obtained it as my personal belief for a while.
I obtained it because of how I was raised. My parents were not emotionally open. Not with me or my siblings. I grew up hearing the words “I love you” after being asked to do something, being yelled at, and even if my parents had done something and wanted to be forgiven. There are many scenarios but I’ll keep it short. Hearing “I love you” after arguments. Being alone with one parent during a divorce as they explain why they hate my other parent and end it with “I love you more than them so don’t tell them anything I’ve told you.” Or witnessing someone do something and being told “I love you if you love me then stay quiet.” I had heard “I loved you” during all the wrong things that I thought if I wanted to get out of trouble all I had to say was I love you.If I wanted to be forgiven I say I love you. I never thought someone could say I love you for anything other than that.
Now that is what I had believed, not what I do believe currently. At the age of 13 I had made a friend. I was in 6th grade. They were always in trouble and well I was the kid who sat in class and either slept or stood quiet. They were not. They were the complete opposite. I was the only person who never made fun of them or judged them. After 6th grade we became best friends.
They confessed to me in 8th grade. They had helped me through so many personal issues. They told me they did not expect me to reciprocate the same feelings and they were right. I did not know how to properly know if I felt attraction, attachment or lust towards them. I ignored their feelings and we stood best friends. The next three years after 8th grade would be a learning experience I never imagined to have faced. I spent the first year flirting around after knowing they liked me. I thought maybe then they would move on and date someone better than me. But by the end of the first year I was scared that maybe I would actually lose them. I dropped everyone and spoke with them again. During that time I started feeling a strong attraction to them that frightened me. It was when they were able to know my emotions and feelings before I even told them how I was feeling. When they helped me calm down because they knew I was anxious before I even knew I was. It scared me. I ran. I talked to them less for a few months, then to a year. But no matter how much I distanced myself. When I went back to them months later saying I had a crush on them. They forgave and ignored what I had done.
We spoke again for months, almost a year complete when they told me “I love you.” My heart raced and I was frightened again. My brain thought maybe they just wanted to get into my pants. Maybe revenge because I ignored them for months last time. I was frightened but this time I did not run. We ended every call with them saying “I love you” and I would not say it back. I would only say “I like you.” We were not dating. Well we never said we were. But we treated each other as if we were. We both knew we cared for each other deeply, we both felt the attraction. We could read each other like open books. We knew when the other was scared, anxious, happy, sad, mad, etc. It was not until this that I felt lust.
One week before my 17th birthday, exactly 6 days before the special day. I was on a family vacation with just my brother and me. The day we were to return home, the day our mother came to get us. We found out my parents had been arguing the whole time we were gone. That day, six days before my birthday, my mother came to get us. I received a text from my father. “I left, I packed my stuff and left. I won’t be coming back. If you love me don’t ask where I went.” That night I wanted to be alone. I was thinking of every worst case scenario and thought I did not want what my parents had and that night 6 days before my birthday I messaged my “friend.”
“I like you, I don’t know if I love you but I like you. Even though I do, I don’t think I’m ready to date. Maybe with time I will be ready but not yet.”
The following months after they did not text me anymore. I tried to date others but it did not go well. A full year passed. I was talking to someone else. It was when they said “I love you” that my brain finally connected the dots.
Attachment; being attached in a bond you didn’t know was so strong. That could affect you in every way. That it would make you compare every person you try to talk to, to that one person. That no matter who it is, they ‘ll never compare to them. I did not know if I loved them (my old crush) but the day someone else that was not them told me they loved me, I couldn’t say it back because the first person who came to my mind was not them but my old crush.
I stopped talking to them and reached out to my old crush 2 months later. Two months of stressing and worrying how they would react. 2 months and we finally called. I was making their favorite muffins. We were speaking when I realized a lot was different. I realized they moved on. I did not confess that night or anytime after that. I instead asked how they had been. How their significant other treats them and told them I was happy for them and glad they found someone who lights up their world. When they asked why I called I lied. I told them I was just curious how my old best friend had been doing. That was the last time I had ever spoken to them.
You see, I didn’t know what love was for 17 years until I heard the wrong person say it to me. It wasn’t until I realized and wished to hear it from the same person who had been telling me they loved me for 6 years. It was not until I lost them that I learned what love was to me. Love is knowing someone’s personality, knowing the ins and outs of what makes them who they are. The emotional connection that you develop with them that lets you know when they are mad, sad, upset, depressed, want space or want attention, before they tell you. When you are able to read their mood by just how they sigh. It’s understanding their dreams and goals and the hardship they went through to make them who they are. Sometimes love is knowing when it’s the right time to let them go. There are so many kinds of love that it took me 17 years to develop my own true belief of what it is. But yet again this is my own opinion on what I believe love is. Everyone has their own opinions on love, everyone has their own definition for it, and own way of expressing it. I simply just shared my own with my learning experience.
August 2, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Hi!
I enjoyed reading your story on Love! I completely agree with you when you say that there’s 3 different types of loves. In the moment we may not realize what ‘type’ of love we are in, but once we look back and reflect, it’s so important to still have self love within yourself. When others around you can’t love you the way you need to be loved, self love will always be the most important trait you can ever have.
August 1, 2023 at 3:29 pm
The word love. Love is such a mysterious word. A word that has so much meaning all in one. Love can be a connection with a person, loving a pet, loving your family, or even loving yourself. Love is such a genuine connection for me. It is important to have self worth and self love before loving anyone else. Self love was something that ended up being a struggle for me for a long time. Until I had met my ex boyfriend, I couldn’t feel any self love at all. I had broken up with my boyfriend of a year and a half a few months ago and for the past year I’ve been on a journey of healing and self love. I didn’t want to end the relationship but I just felt we were going in such different paths and we were becoming distant from one another. Things just weren’t working out for me and him. It is extremely difficult to stop seeing someone that you’ve spent most of your time with. It was such a genuine connection that we had with one another it was extremely difficult to break that. When you’re in love with another person it feels like a soul connection for me. It was just such a deep connection for me and it felt impossible to let it go.
I’ve been spending my time learning to love myself and to live a new life without another person apart from it. I lost all of my self worth and I just didn’t know who I was anymore. I will always have love for this person and will always look out for them. They showed me what it truly is like to be loved and respected as an individual. They honestly helped me to raise my standards when looking at a person. I realized that I needed to press on and live my life. I’ve been doing just that. I’ve been hanging out with old friends I haven’t talked to, I’ve been traveling with my family, I’ve been going to concerts and having the time of my life. It has been extremely difficult to navigate a new chapter of my life but I believe I am on the right path again.
Love has impacted me in such an emotional way. It can be such a positive thing and such a negative thing. I am in a better place now that I have learned to protect my peace and my worth. I am forever grateful for the relationships I’ve had. They taught me the most important and valuable lessons. They have taught me to keep my standards high. I do believe love is real. Love is something that I don’t have to give to another person right now. Right now I am not ready just yet but when I am, I will be able to give love to that person. I will have high standards because I know my worth and how valuable I am as a person.
August 1, 2023 at 6:19 pm
10/10 response, great job. I love how realistic this is. You can tell that you put your full thought and effort into it!
August 1, 2023 at 10:32 pm
A core value in my realm of ideals, includes this experience called love. While it is not the highest in any regard of my current pyramid of importance, that can certainly change quickly in certain manners. This emotion of entangled soul-connectivity is almost indescribable to someone who has not felt it before, and believe me you’ll know. There is one moment in every experience where it can be recognized, I remember mine. Although mine was probably the ugliest moment of my life within the 18 years I have been on this planet infused with more pain than I could have possibly imagined, I wouldn’t take it back or change a single thing. It’s human to feel, to experience, to want to search the world for happiness, to look for memories in the present even if it results in a predetermined sadness.
Complex interpretations of different core memories and more importantly our perspectives of what one has overcome, withstanded, or even survived are what determine the drive of what one is willing or even capable of doing today. Sometimes you have to choose yourself in order to preserve your well being, even if that means leaving the person who made you excited to wake up every morning. In my experience I was choosing to fulfill a promise I had made to my younger self, and even if not for that, you have to always respect your own being. One can be in love, but also trapped in a toxic environment, an illusion. After a connection is made to the incorrect influence whom you would do almost anything for, you can easily be the brightest person in the room and still be knocked down the stairs you built with a single action of their disloyalty, betrayal or words.
All in all, while I would continue much more, I’ll tie it up here. Truly take care, respect, and even be cautious of yourself, your environment and who is surrounding you. Loyalty is a dying trait, make sure you are rich in relationships that have that currency to trade regardless if it’s just a friendship or more.
August 2, 2023 at 1:56 am
I believe in love. Love can be a very powerful thing. It surpasses everything- Culture, religion, sexuality, age (18+ ofc), struggles, etc. Love can heal. Love can save. I know personally that love can save and heal. I went through a period of life that if it weren’t for the love my mom and brother have for me, I don’t know if I would’ve made it out okay. Another instance was with one of my relatives- really bad accident, bordering death, but with love and prayers he survived and has even more love to share with his 4 year old daughter. I believe in love at first sight and soulmates (both platonic and romantic). I think people can have multiple soulmates in the platonic and romantic categories. For example, my best friend is my platonic soulmate and I’m hers. We feel as though we complete each other and we are pretty much the same person, just a different font. Another example is my dog- he’s my best friend. I love him so much and I would do anything for that little dude. As for romantic soulmates- I’ve yet to find them but I know they’re out there. And as for love at first sight, I believe in it because I’ve experienced it. I think everybody has, it’s definitely a universal thing. Love can help deflect conflicts and issues. If the world had more love for each other we wouldn’t have racism, sexism, ableism, bigotry, WAR- If we all just took ONE second to fill our hearts with love and understand each other, Earth would be a whole other planet, but for the better.
August 3, 2023 at 3:11 am
I love the response, I agree with all the things you said. I understand your perspective of how having more love in this world would eliminate a lot of the issues we have now (i.e. bigotry). If we viewed each other as equals and not being judgemental then the world would change for the better.
August 2, 2023 at 7:14 pm
Sienna M
Love was always just a word thrown around when we were younger, but who am I supposed to know who I love? At the end of the school day we would tell our friends, “I love you”, but we truly didn’t understand the meaning of that phrase. Love comes in many different ways, shapes, and forms. Growing up, there was never a singular day that both of my parents didn’t tell me the three word phrase. Growing up like that, I knew what it was like to have a support system behind my back as my parents. I knew whether I did good, bad, beautiful, or ugly, they were always going to love me the same way. Approaching the raw age of seventeen, I would say it was a roller coaster of emotions and situations. I started the year off strong with a best friend and a boyfriend. But as time went on, too many complications occurred, and not only did I lose my boyfriend, I lost my best friend also. I went from one day all of us hanging out to suddenly the next being blocked on socials and wouldn’t answer my texts of what I did wrong or what went wrong along the way. Months passed, the leaves outside went from green to orange and yellow to falling off their branches, and I still didn’t have the closure I wanted from either of them. All those months had passed by and I felt like I hadn’t made any progress. Until one morning I woke up with this wrenching feeling in my stomach that I was over being in the same position as I was the day before, the week before, and even the months prior. I finally realized why I wasn’t making any progress and it was because I didn’t have the self love I needed for myself. Yes, I loved those around me with everything in me, but when it came to myself, there was none left. From that morning on, I did things only to benefit myself. I started going to the gym, attended therapy, had more outings with the people who meant the most to me. Months from that morning came by, but they didn’t feel like months, they felt like a dream, a fever dream. I had the support and stability I was craving and needing all along. I never received my closure with my now ex boyfriend and ex best friend, but I no longer needed it because with the amount of self love and respect I had for myself, I knew I didn’t do anything wrong and that my conscience was clean. To answer my question earlier of ‘who am I supposed to love?’ The answer may never be a singular word or a singular person, and may change as time goes on, but I am supposed to love myself and that’s the most important person to value and love.
August 10, 2023 at 12:53 pm
This was so beautifully written and I agree with everything you wrote. Self-love is so important and the value and respect we have for ourselves over any relationship.
August 3, 2023 at 3:04 am
My belief is that love is one of the strongest emotions someone can feel. It can bring the best out of a person while on the other hand, it can create a toxic situation. The simplest of decisions have more thought put into it if it involves the person that you love. Doing the little things to ensure that the feeling is reciprocated and mutual. The expression of love can take many forms. When in an intimate relationship, simple actions like saying “I love you” or “Get home safely” show that you care about them. Even big things like planning an outing or for their birthday to ensure everything goes smoothly are another form of expressing your love. The feeling of wanting things to go as perfectly as possible is what comes with the emotion. On a more negative note, love can be scary. That’s why it is always important to be mindful and honest about your feelings. Especially when it pertains to something as sensitive and delicate of a feeling. Regardless if it is an intimate relationship or love shared amongst family, there are times when they may do something that hurts you. Or a decision that they made because they thought it was best for you. The commonality between the two is they were both done out of love. That being said, a facet of love is having communication which goes a long way. All in all, love is a universal language that can be felt by all.
August 6, 2023 at 6:07 pm
Christionna W
Love is something that every human in this world has felt before. In pop culture today they make it seem like finding love is very easy but I believe that you will gradually find love over time as life goes on. Love isn’t just something that will spark instantly it will take time for you to become in love with the person. In some cases you may just never find that spark at all. Not every relationship you may be in you may have to love the person. For instance when I had began dating for the first time I had never fell in love with him. When I was with him I had never felt that magical feeling you are suppose to feel when you are in love. He had never shown me any sort of love or that he loved me for me. Compared to the relationship I am in now he shows me nothing but love but, love doesn’t just have to be shown with affection. It can be shown with many other ways such as spending quality time, doing something for them, trusting them, and being there for the person. Planning different types of dates do to with them can also show your love for them. In conclusion, love is an emotion that everyone has felt in some sort of way before. Even if it takes a long time, love is out there for everyone. Everything happens to a person for a reason, you never know if one day you end up meeting the love of your life.
August 13, 2023 at 9:16 pm
Nolan K
This was well worded and to the point. I couldn’t agree more with this.
August 8, 2023 at 6:39 pm
Jakob D
Everybody wants love. That special someone that is there for them no matter what. Unfortunately, the love that comes from a relationship is not something that is granted unconditionally. I had to learn the hard way through many failed attempts and short-lasting relationships. I do not blame people for rejecting me, there were things that I lacked. I am thankful for those people because without them I would never have discovered the true importance of self-improvement.
Confidence, assertiveness, and on the physical side muscles and other masculine features were some of the things that I lacked. Most of which are deal breakers when it comes to finding love. I lacked any motivation to improve these things, but after my senior year ended with another devastating blow to my self-esteem, I said enough was enough. The day after my senior prom, I took my first few steps into the gym, and I have not looked back since.
For the past two months, I have been on a non-stop grind. I go to the gym daily, track my caloric intake, and I continue to try innovative ideas to improve my appearance. Seeing the change in my muscles as I lift heavier gives me such a rush. Even the projection of my voice now has a greater impact. My self-love and self-esteem are rising, and I have never felt better. I wholeheartedly believe that with my effort, the right person will come along and prove that hard work pays off. Love may not be unconditional, but improving my value to reach the necessary conditions has been the greatest life adventure.
August 8, 2023 at 6:53 pm
Gabe W.
A four letter word many people of this generation say is lost, or forgotten. Love to me is a word that defines humans as a species and all their interactions, a mutual openness with someone having deep affection. It has led to so much hurt, and growth, yet also positivity. Personally what you put into it is what I think you “receive” back. These feelings can only go so far but through characteristics like focus, determination, and loyalty true love in my opinion is expressed. My friend since 9th grade Daniel and I have expressed this to each other and to our passion (our music) for the last four years. Throughout High school we both were lost at times, but through these characteristics held us strong on our path. We are now both going off to school putting our dreams into reality. “luvwander” is a verified artist and is now going to Berkeley (his dream school) while “Werthi” is doing the same at Dartmouth. One thing we both talked about in our music is this four letter word and how it has shaped us, yet others around us and in our everyday lives (meaning strangers). Myself learning with my father and my friend with his mother that people express love in different ways because of what they know/have been through and that’s okay. But as humans, we are going to have reacting emotions and as much as people love to blame others for their actions, we decide how others make us feel. So we used this to show how we overcame differences with people, because of this four letter word.
August 9, 2023 at 6:31 pm
Tiffany W
Before I start, no I’m not heartbroken. My view on love is that it’s simply not real, or at least just an idea. I think movies have obstructed the real meaning of love. People say love is a feeling but my thoughts are different. I grew up a catholic and in my beliefs, Jesus died on the cross out of love for all man-kind. But love is supposed to “feel” good right? I don’t see how being nailed to a cross or persecuted can feel good, but it’s supposedly love right? Love is simply what you do despite what you feel. Just like what Jesus did for us. And I understand not everyone has that same view. But what I know is that love isn’t giving up when things get hard. Or leaving. Love is doing good to others even if they don’t see the good that you do for them to love you back. The only thing is, is that love hurts. It’s a sacrifice in which you’re willing to put someone else before you. Love is the strength of will to put yourself through pain for another human being. It’s simply one of the strongest emotions in humanity. Which also makes it our biggest weakest. See, love is like giving someone a knife and hoping they don’t use it against you. The thing is, if they do use it against you, you hand it back to them. But this time you’re asking them to. Love is a repeated cycle of picking up that knife after every betrayal. Eventually that knife would break along with that idea of love. Sometimes I think I love someone but in the end I’m okay without them. It took me a long time to realize I didn’t have to go out looking for true love in someone else. Sometimes the best form of love is letting go and loving yourself instead.
August 10, 2023 at 12:50 pm
Macy B
Love. Love is all kind of things. Many have different views and ideas of the word “love” and what it means. To me, love is beautiful, love is a powerful emotion that inspires compassion and understanding. It’s the foundation of strong relationships and promotes happiness and peace in our everyday lives. Some may not agree and that’s okay! Each and every person has a different perception upon reality, and love is a part of reality.
Love does not always mean being in a relationship or being loved by someone else. Loving yourself is the most important thing of all and promotes emotional and mental well-being. I believe you can not truly love someone until you love yourself. When we love ourselves first, we take care of our needs without relying on others for happiness and fulfillment. Self-love also teaches us how to reflect on relationships we are in and realize when to let go of relationships that are unhealthy. I feel that is the most important thing to learn.
A common misconception of love is that it is easy when it’s far from that. It requires patience, respect, and most of all effort! In a relationship, love should have mutual understanding, support, and open communication. Communication is another very important concept in relationships. It allows you to help understand each other’s needs and feelings, making the bond stronger. No communication in a relationship can lead to blame, relationship anxiety, depression, and resentment in our relationships, that may increase the likelihood of heartbreak.
Being in my first relationship and actually feeling so deeply loved is a feeling I can’t find words to describe. I feel lucky that I found this type of love at such a young age because it’s so rare nowadays. My boyfriend makes me feel respected, he makes me laugh, and puts in the effort to make sure I am happy and comfortable. Being in a relationship really opened my eyes to what love in a healthy relationship should feel like and I am so grateful to feel this way. I hope everyone can find this type of love, but most importantly find self-love.
August 10, 2023 at 8:36 pm
Love is many things. For one, its complicated. Things happen, people change like the seasons, confusion steps in and it all becomes too much. Love is complicated because it’s nobody else’s business, but everyone wants to know so bad. Love can be for many things. A hobby, a place, a person, a thing, an image. The list goes on forever about the number of things you could possibly love in this whole entire world.
To be loved is a feeling. A feeling that everyone would die to feel but only if it’s done right. A feeling that anyone would kill to feel, only if true. To be loved means a lot to anyone because we all need love. If you don’t like people, you have to love yourself or you’ll be lost and lonely. If you don’t love yourself, you struggle to find other people to be around because they would just make you feel insecure, hurt and bashed deep down inside. Love brings happiness. Love brings memories. Love brings hurt. Love brings pain. Love brings fuss. Love brings fight. Love brings everything. To love and to be loved is a package deal. You have to find the right person to share your love with, whether it’s a friend, a partner, or a family member. Share your love and you’; receive it back no problem. If everyone in this world would freely give out love with no charge, we’d all be happy. Love is the base of this world, and without it, even though it’s painful sometimes, we’d all be nowhere.
August 10, 2023 at 9:34 pm
ADAM ELIMADI
Love, to me, is an enchanting symphony that resonates within the depths of our souls. It’s the inexplicable force that binds hearts and transcends the boundaries of time and space. Guided by my unwavering beliefs, I perceive love as an enduring commitment, a profound connection that flourishes through both sunshine and storm.
In my opinion, love is not confined by societal norms or fleeting desires. It’s an evolving dance of understanding, empathy, and acceptance. Love is the art of embracing imperfections and cherishing uniqueness. I firmly believe that true love doesn’t seek to change, but rather to nurture growth and kindle the flames of authenticity.
For me, love isn’t just a feeling; it’s a conscious choice. It’s choosing to be present, to listen with an open heart, and to stand by one another in the face of life’s challenges. Love is a sanctuary of trust, where vulnerability is a strength and communication, a lifeline.
I hold the belief that love extends beyond the romantic realm. It’s a tapestry woven between friends, family, and even the world at large. Acts of kindness, compassion, and selflessness are all manifestations of love’s boundless grace.
In a world often characterized by transience, my belief in love remains steadfast. It’s a beacon of hope, an eternal flame that warms our existence. Through the lens of my convictions, love is a journey – one that unfolds with every shared moment, every whispered dream, and every steadfast gesture.
August 10, 2023 at 10:37 pm
Graham K – Love
Love is a complex subject that is viewed and felt differently by every person who experiences it. There are many forms of love, often more than meets the eye. On one hand, two friends can share a platonic bond so strong that they may love each other, however that is different from a parent’s love towards their child or the love between two significant others in a relationship. Having been fortunate enough to experience all three types of love, I can confidently say that I believe love has no limits or boundaries. For example, young couples are constantly told that their relationship will not last simply because they are young. I believe that no matter how young or old a couple is, if they have enough love in their hearts for each other, than their relationship will soar. Additionally, no matter how many boundaries, such as distance, internal struggles, or external obstacles, if their is enough love being given equally between the couple, there is no limit to what they can do together. Love can be just as dangerous as it can be incredible. If there is not enough effort put in on both sides, a relationship, no matter if it is platonic, romantic, or parental, is doomed to fail. However, in order to truly love another person, one must learn to love and care for themselves just as much. Self love can take someone very far in life, and although it is important to have relationships with others, self love is, in my opinion, the most important type of love.
August 15, 2023 at 1:42 am
Agreed love is a lot of things at once. It’s one of those things thats even hard to describe because it has so many examples that aren’t necessarily related. But to your point about young couples and that if they have enough love it can last I believe that to be true you even explain it. That if theres enough effort it can work out. It like if they put effort into sacrificing and caring for the other than that relationship will work. Great ideas bro.
August 10, 2023 at 11:18 pm
Joy K
Believing in love is like believing in magic. Love brings happiness,warmth and a sense of belonging. Love is a beautiful thing that can make our hearts soar. It’s the bond that connects us to others and makes life worth living.
When we believe in love,we open ourselves to a world full of responsibilities. We believe that there is someone out there who will understand us,support us and cherish us for who we truly are. Love gives us hope and optimism even in the darkest of times.
Believing in love means believing in the power of kindness,compassion and empathy. It means that love can heal wounds, mend broken hearts and bring people together.
But believing in love also means being vulnerable. It means taking risks,stepping out of our own comfort zones and opening ourselves up to the possibility of getting hurt.
Love is not always easy but it’s worth it. The joy and happiness that love brings outweighs the pain and heartbreak. I believe that everyone deserves the same happiness and love as you.
Let’s believe in the power of love to transform our lives,to inspire us to be better and bring us closer to the people who matter the most. Let’s believe that love is a force that can conquer all obstacles and make the world a better place.
In conclusion believing in love is a choice. It’s a choice to embrace the beauty and magic that love brings into our lives. It’s a choice to be vulnerable,to take risks and open up to our hearts to the possibility of love. I believe love will never go away. So let’s believe in love and let it guide us on our journey towards happiness and fulfillment.
August 11, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Andre L
Love is often seen as a thing that is shared between two people but that is not the extent of what the term encapsulates. As it is also used to describe things you love such as hobbies or just the simple things that bring you enjoyment. The idea that love always needs to be this complex feeling that you share with a significant other seems strange as there are many things that I feel people would say they love. For me, music is a prime example of that thing I love, whether it be listening to it or playing an instrument it is something that always brings me enjoyment. It’s this simple aspect of love that I believe should come to mind when we think of love, not the strange feeling you get around others. I believe that people should focus on finding these things that they love as it not only brings you joy but has the possibility to bring you closer to people who also love that thing.
August 15, 2023 at 1:15 am
I agree with what you said, that finding others through what you love instead of going out looking for love is a much better way of finding it.
August 11, 2023 at 4:34 pm
Have you ever thought to yourself” What do you cherish most in this world?” Have you thought
about your loved ones and how much you care for them? What would that say?
I love and care about everyone who is in my life. The friends that I’ve made, the bonds and
memories we forged, that keeps me going to be myself and face the world. During my junior
year of high school, I was in a state of depression. Each day went as slow as a sloth. I felt that
everyone was achieving all of the things they wanted to achieve. I was comparing myself to my
peers so much to the point where I started to isolate myself from them. I kept on thinking ”What
do they think of me?” I wanted a friend group. Friends that I can count on so I can never feel
alone. People that I can tell how I feel.
My senior year made the most impact on my life. I told my friend Elizabeth how I felt. I was
scared of the next few words she would say to me. “It’s okay Aidyn” she said while holding me
as I cried in her arms.. She went through the same thing and bonded due to those challenges.
We both eventually told our friends Luke and Alexis. They understood and we wanted to spend
the rest of our senior year together. I was happy and that is when I felt love for myself and
them.
August 13, 2023 at 1:04 am
I believe in falling in love and that people should get a second chance being with their loved ones, even if they screwed up. everyone wants to fall in love with a perfect person, but everyone has flaws and everyone will mess up at some point. nothing is perfect.
Growing up with everyone around me is in love and in a healthy relationship. it really shown me and others how falling in love with the right person really is something important. Falling in love is supposed to be trusting someone and being honest, but as I got older, I’ve noticed my friends get into relationship’s that are in love but some that are toxic. My grandma has taught me that it will take time to find the perfect one and when I do, I will be in love until death. Researchers show that majority of marriage’s don’t last anymore and no one’s happy or someone cheats. My mom and dad have taught me that everyone is different in their own ways because God made us in that way for a reason, no one is perfect. Everyone has messed up once in their lives and will do it multiple times again and you will have to give them chances, never give up on someone and always try to fix it even if you don’t want to fix it.
I believe everyone is different and everyone should fall in love and sometimes mess up but no one should just stop and don’t care even if it really hurt you try and talk it out unless if its toxic but you need to hear both sides of every story in a relationships if your married, dating, family, friends.
August 13, 2023 at 4:22 pm
Love is the most powerful force in the entire world. It can bring happiness or sadness like a roller coaster that never ends. There will always be ups and downs that will make you question if it is ever worth it at all. Love is something that one has to be patient with. You can not force love or try to manipulate it. Love can only happen naturally between two beings. It involves trust, commitment, and understanding. There isn’t an exact feeling of what love is. Most describe it with the sensation of butterflies in the stomach or the feeling of Cloud 9. While the feelings of intense butterflies and Cloud 9 are very enjoyable, love comes at a cost. It requires both parties to be vulnerable, to let their walls and guard down. Love is being able to accept someone for who they truly are for better or for worse and staying by their side no matter the circumstances.
Love is truly a remarkable thing that words can not describe and if you ever experience true love, never ever let it go.
August 14, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Love and loyalty are two terms that are used synonymously in relationships. To love is to be loyal and to be loyal is a form of love. Over the past four years I’ve been made very aware that these words can be misconstrued and confused for what they aren’t. Due to my experiences, loyalty has become the value that I wish to exude most when meeting new people and in my existing relationships, whether it be with my current partner, friends or family. I value the positive use of this trait since it has been used against me for so long. In a past relationship I had a partner who claimed to love me but yet could not stay loyal. They cheated multiple times and after finding out this news I confronted them. I asked why they would do this and they could not give me an answer. Unlike them, I knew why. They lacked loyalty and as a result of this, I heavily reconsidered and questioned my love for them. I asked myself questions like, “if they loved me, why couldn’t they be loyal” and “If they can’t be loyal, do they truly love me.” This entirely contradicted my definition of love and loyalty and had me reevaluate what they mean. To me, Love is an emotion, it comes and goes just as any other feeling you may have. Loyalty is the glue that makes love stick and without loyalty, love is just a fleeting emotion, something that can be twisted, contorted and used to hurt others. This is why I value loyalty so strongly and encourage others to rethink their interpretation of the two words.
August 14, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Abraham Boval
I consider love being the strongest tool that anyone and anything can hold within. Why? It fosters a ton of emotions and feelings that nobody or nothing could even imagine. It can bring a lot of pros and cons. A pro could be finding the love of your life, getting married and being happy. But a con could be increased risk of heartbreak and emotional pain, and even anxiety. Love has to be shown and not told. So telling a dog, cat or any pet you love them won’t really nudge them, they won’t know you do. You have to take care of them, make them feel at home, build a connection so they trust you. Same with humans, gain their trust, hear them out, listen and recognize and reflect on the decisions that were made during the time together.
Love can come in many different shapes and forms. You can love what you do, you can love what/who you’re going to become and you can love who you are. I love what I do, I love who and what I am going to become, and I try to love who I am now. I try to love myself now because I’m out in the real world so my actions reflect who I am without a parent telling me no. Making my own choices and decisions when I was never the type to will be an eventful transition. Overall love is the aspect of experience within humans and animals that shapes our future, relationships, perception and understanding of society.
August 14, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Forgive yourself. Forgive them. Forgive whoever hurt you. It’s their first time living on this Earth too. Learning to let go, accepting what is, moving on, it’s not easy. It’s all a part of healing from what hurt you. As sad as it is, in the end time does heal all wounds. More importantly, within the time it takes for you to heal, you will learn many lessons along the way. Healing comes from realizing that you are the most important person in your life, and that you must build a relationship within yourself before forming one with anyone else. Learning to love yourself and forgive yourself and realize that you can still hurt from things you thought you healed from is okay. I believe that letting go, and detaching from expectations, people, and material things brings peace. I have yet to master this, because it’s easier to hold a grudge. It’s easier to live angry, be bitter, and make it known to others around you. It’s easier to hold everything in, and punish others by sharing nothing about yourself. Being known is a scary thing, but I believe that to love and lose, and to still be kind, is the strongest thing anyone can do. Loving everything that is, and knowing that everything happens for a reason, in the end will bring happiness. Realizing how little time we have here, how we only live in the bodies we were given once, it makes the universe feel less large. It makes you want to enjoy the little moments instead, like watching a butterfly flutter past you, watching two dogs play, or feeling a cool breeze on a hot summer day. There comes a point in life where you have to say “I’ve done all that I could.” And you release. You accept what is and the things you cannot change. With that, life goes on. And better and brighter things come along, things that are meant for you.
August 14, 2023 at 5:46 pm
What is love? When you are asked what you think love is your mind usually goes to immediately your “soul mate” and the person you love most. But what is love, and how do you know you love that person? The quick and easy answer is that, you can not know what love is until you love yourself and find someone that fits your style of “love”. Self-love is an incredibly important aspect of our well-being. It involves recognizing our own value, embracing our individuality, and treating ourselves with kindness and respect. When we practice self-love, we prioritize our own needs and make choices that are in alignment with our happiness and fulfillment. It’s about acknowledging our strengths and accomplishments, while also accepting our flaws and imperfections. By nurturing ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally, we can build a strong foundation of self-love that allows us to thrive and live authentically. Love is a force that inspires us to be our best selves, to be compassionate and understanding towards others. When we learn to love ourselves, we become more open and capable of giving and receiving love from others. By practicing self-care, setting healthy boundaries, and prioritizing our own happiness, we cultivate a deep sense of love and appreciation for ourselves. This love radiates outward and attracts others who see and appreciate our value. So “love” is not an easy thing to understand and feel. Love can make you feel special and like your heart is bursting with joy and warmth. It brings a sense of connection, making you feel seen and understood, but it can also make you feel vulnerable, as it requires you to open your heart and trusting another person.
August 15, 2023 at 11:22 pm
I completely agree. You need to be happy with and secure with yourself before you could ever possibly be happy with anyone else.
August 14, 2023 at 6:02 pm
To me, love surpasses being a mere word, as it holds action. Love is the unique sincerity and unwavering commitment we are obligated to wholeheartedly offer to our cherished family members, beloved pets, dear friends, and romantic partners. The indescribable happiness we discern when witnessing our loved ones thrive is simply unparalleled. It’s the genuine willingness and unwavering devotion we wholeheartedly offer to our beloved family members, pets, friends, or significant others. Love is the unconditional support we consistently provide to our family members, constantly making an effort to assure them that they will never have to face any journey alone, regardless if it’s full of hardships or uncharted territory. It’s that remarkable bond we share with our adorable pets, showering them with endless affection and care while receiving the sensation of immeasurable comfort and heartwarming companionship back. Love is the freedom of doubt and profound understanding we share with our significant others.
Moreover, it encompasses friendships we cultivate and profoundly cherish. Love is embodied by those steadfast friends who are there for us through both challenging moments and moments of joy, listening to us without judgment and standing firmly by our side. Their enduring presence is a remarkable testament to the incredible power of love. It’s the shared responsibility when times get tough, and celebrating the joyous moments of togetherness. Love is so much more than just a word we casually toss around, it’s a process. It’s a thing you cultivate and protect, you feel obligated to be better.
August 14, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Devin w
The thing that I love most about life is that things can be interpreted many different ways by many different people, and love is one of them. Love can be intimate, or just something that your passionate about in general. I believe that in order to succeed and persevere through life you must first find things that you love and enjoy. For me over the years I have found my passion in the engineering field I currently am working for a construction company doing under water topography scans of the ocean floor to determine the toxicity and levelness. All of the data that I have been collecting is to help remove harmful wastes and level the ocean for the new wind turbines to be built. Before this job everywhere I worked felt like a job, and the days dragged and weren’t enjoyable, furthermore when you find something that you love it doesn’t feel like work anymore. Truth be told half the time I would rather be working, so find what makes you happy whether it be a person or a hobby. Having people and things in life that you love makes it that much more enjoyable and worth living.
August 14, 2023 at 6:34 pm
Osiris Gonzalez
Love is a raw, complex emotion that manifests itself into countless forms. It is a force that drives us to care deeply for one another, to share special moments of celebration and support those during hardships. Love can come from anyone or anything. From family connections that allow a sense of belonging, to friendships that offer companionship, and romantic relationships that ignite a flame of passion, but love is not confined to just people, it extends to a much broader and deeper connection like art, nature, and ideas. People tend to get confused with the idea of love and obsession because of how intense both can be. Love is rooted in care and respect, it is embracing your person for their perfections and imperfections, learning a sense of trust and security. This is what we call healthy love, which adds joy into our lives. Meanwhile, obsession comes from the fixation on a person or even an idea, which can lead to possessiveness, control, and an unhealthy attachment. Obsession can lead to jealousy, anxiety, and emotional manipulation, while love uplifts and empowers each other. To understand the difference between the two is very crucial for relationships and personal well-being.
I met my first love during the first year of high school, and we started dating in our junior year. Since then, I have gotten to understand the difference aspects that come to being in love. Like vulnerability and boundaries. Some people may find this to be silly or ridiculous, but I think it’s beautiful. I felt the pain that comes from a parents divorce, and seeing so many around me breaking up with their significant other, believing that maybe love isn’t real, questioning how will I know if I am in love? Until I met this person who has shown me what love is. How love in a relationship is. It isn’t easy and there will be hardships, but that’s how you grow together. It won’t always seem like rainbows and fairytales, but it still is beautiful. A big aspect to being in love with someone is loving yourself first, understanding who you are before you go to understand someone else.
August 14, 2023 at 7:55 pm
Love can come in many forms like romantically, platonically and family love. Recently I have found that romantic love has been the hardest to truly understand. When I think of love I think of family and friends. My family provides me with all the necessities I need like nurture a roof over my head and food. My friends show their love for me through making me laugh and being there emotionally and mentally. However, because love is extremely subjective it looks different for everyone and I’ve seen it differentiate more through romantic love. Love hurts when your feelings aren’t being reciprocated, appreciated or even validated. This leads to disappointment and emotional pain. The vulnerability that love opens also leads you to be susceptible to heartache. If trust is broken and conflict arises and you’re left with feelings of rejection and pain. Love is intense and can also hurt when it triggers past traumas or insecurities as a result our emotional response amplifies. More times than not you act on how you are feeling rather than what you know. Additionally some unrealistic expectations or dynamic changes also lead to pain and heartache. However, In the end love is beautiful and something we all should experience. While it brings heartache it also carries joy, fulfillment and meaning to us. Love fosters strong emotional connection, encourages us to encompass empathy, and to care for one another. Love leads to profound internal growth and requires understanding, compromise and communication. Love can be a support system that enhances mental and emotional being. Love enriches us by creating these deep connections with one another. Love can bring a sense of purpose. Love is beautiful.
August 14, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Love is something that is experienced through almost every human. Some might not experience romantic love in their lifetime, but that is not the only form of love. Loving something or someone is when you can barely live without it, its presence makes you feel complete. Whether that be a lover, pet, best friend, or even a certain place.
Although love can be a wonderful thing, for some it is complex. To love others you have to learn how to love yourself, truly. Be happy with the life you have, even at your lowest you have to accept that things will get better overtime, not overnight.
We get an idea of what love is at a very young age. Seeing your parents care and nurture you, you know you are loved. Seeing grandparents look at their old photos and still have the same smile, they love each other. As we get older we are able to fall in love as well. To love someone else can certainly be a hard task and not always rainbows and butterflies.
Love can be a wondrous thing, but as most of us know at this age, it can also hurt. No one is meant to be perfect, and that being said, arguments and confrontation will occur when you love someone. This is all part of love though, if one person truly loves another they will reach high to solve an issue.
August 14, 2023 at 9:14 pm
Love is what a lot of people desire and crave. I believe love shapes the kind of person you are. Love is beautiful but ugly and makes you feel this kind of euphoria when you receive love but that same person who gave you love can also hurt you. Just because they love you doesn’t mean they can’t harm you. I hate seeing my friends be blinded by love that they can’t see that this person is bad for them and they don’t deserve being treated a certain way. I believe love is unrealistic in books, movies and tv shows but that is what drives me towards that genre. I love reading and watching romance because of that false idea of how love between two people should be but I know that’s not reality. I still have that hope that I can find that kind of love where you both care for each other and you would do anything to cheer them up. That kind of love where you can rely on them to hear about your day. Growing up my parents didn’t have a great relationship, so I never saw what love was supposed to look like but I did see how I wasn’t supposed to be treated. Despite growing up where I didn’t see romantic love, I still believe love is beautiful between two people who care and cherish each other. Of course there are many types of love like love for family, pets and friends, I believe that all types are still the same. You care if they are hurt or happy, you celebrate their achievements and you comfort them when they are low. All that is different is sexual intimacy or just intimacy.
August 14, 2023 at 11:43 pm
Jared C
Love is something truly remarkable with many hardships, but many beautiful moments too. Love can get messy at times and show the hidden sides of people you don’t want to see. However the meaning of love is very strong and the chances to reconnect with someone are boundless and endless. Destiny plays a huge role in love and what is meant to be will find a way to always comeback. Throughout all the tremendous twists love has, you are always growing along with your love. Words can begin to describe love and the feeling it blossoms emotions to life. Love to me was like a double edge sword with many beautiful moments with sad endings. The saddest thing to deal with is watching love had for someone fade slowly away. Love can be very confusing for many people and it can’t be defined because everyone has a different definition for love. The way everybody feels towards others is different and each person will connect in there own ways which is why love is so boundless. Destiny will work its magic for you and everybody meets there soulmate and finds them one day. Life is something truly touched by love and keeps everyones hopes up. Marriage is something truly indescribable to witness and its a day of pure excitement for all. Love lasts forever until the day we die and meet our lovers once again. Overall, love is truly something amazing and it significantly heightens peoples feelings and joy towards others.
August 14, 2023 at 11:45 pm
Mallory L
What do I believe about love? I believe that love is not just a word, it is a real and complex feeling and as a person you get to choose who and what you love. Everyone loves and defines love differently. When growing up I would always just throw around the word “love” but as I got older I realized it is so much more than just a word. It is about how a person makes you feel when you’re around them, the respect and loyalty a person has for you, what that person has done and would do for you. I also realized that it is ok to not love a person or to fall out of love with a person, whether it be a romantic relationship, a friendship or even a family member, no one gets to tell you who you should or shouldn’t love. The love I have with my boyfriend now is nothing I’d ever felt in my life, but we wouldn’t be where we are now without ups and downs because no “love” for anyone is perfect, it takes time and patience.
As I grew up and matured I also realized that the one thing you should love overall is yourself, at the end of the day all you have is you and you can always rely on yourself. You should always treat yourself with kindness and appreciate all the things you do for yourself even if that is just eating, brushing your teeth, or taking a nap, you are doing it for yourself.
August 15, 2023 at 12:45 am
Zoey S
Love is a very complex idea and feeling; Everyone has their own points of view on love. I believe that love is the source of happiness within a soul. Love comes in all shapes and forms there is physical love, words of affirmation, acts of service, and quality time. With all these components being intertwined with one another it allows us to feel the deepest connection to each other. All a person wants to be is loved whether that is in a platonic way or a soulmate way, love is the cure to everything.
Having nobody in your life to love and care for you is the hardest thing because you have to do everything alone with no support system. Having a support system with people that love you is essential as it gives you the motivation to persevere and if you fail your loved ones will be there to help you no matter what. Unconditional love is one of the deepest forms of love there is. It means that someone is willing to love you or be in love with you no matter the circumstances, and this is key to a healthy relationship because you should love every part of the person you decide to spend your time with.
From my personal experiences I have only ever been happy when I knew that my mom was there for me even if I was struggling and she did not look at me differently, she was there for me, she loved me, and that is the greatest thing I could have ever asked for. It is human nature to love, and loving one another brings out the best in everyone.
August 15, 2023 at 12:56 am
Love is a very big word I believe. It’s said so easily sometimes. “Oh I love this song!” … “You will love this show!” … So on and so on. And sometimes it’s said with heavy meaning behind it. “I love you.” … “They were loved.” … So on and so on. Love carries a heavy load. The word, the action, the emotion. Even if I’m young, I’ve experienced love trials. Family, friends and partners. I’ve learned just because they are related to you it doesn’t make them family. It also means you don’t have to love them. In addition I have learned that you can’t help who you love sometimes. It just happens. Love has helped me conquer my greatest struggles, my lowest and darkest times. Using all these lessons I’ve learned about love has helped me in achieving that. Love has shown me passion, helped me choose a trade to learn in highschool. That has then helped me choose a major for college. Love can be tangled with other feelings. Love is complicated. Love opens your eyes. Though, love also closes your eyes. Love expands your horizons. Love hides you away in a box. Love is difficult to navigate. It is different for everyone. Some people can say it so easily, while some people struggle with it. Love looks different on everyone, receiving and giving. As I said before, I believe love is a really big word. It means so much more than just 3 words put together to show affection or level of interest. I also believe love is the strongest weapon, the most powerful tool, and the biggest wall halting either side.
August 15, 2023 at 1:06 am
Ali G.
I believe love is one of the most complex human experiences. Love is an emotion that goes beyond our boundaries and reaches the deepest parts of our hearts. It holds immense significance in our lives, shown in many different ways such as our relationships, self-being, and the base of society.
Love is a huge part of our well-being. It gives us a sense of belonging, acceptance, and support which allows us to thrive. Love nurtures our self-esteem, boosts our confidence, and allows us to travel through life challenges. It acts as a source of comfort during hard times, which promotes mental health, reduces stress, and enhances our overall happiness.
Love is the foundation of healthy and fulfilling relationships. It forms a connection with multiple people throughout our lives such as our partners, family, and friends. It encourages a healthy relationship by enabling a safe space for open conversations, fostering empathy, compassion, and understanding. This creates trust and a mutual environment for growth and personal development. This emotion helps enrich our lives with shared experiences including lots of laughter and support.
Not only does love benefit us individually but it extends beyond that by having an impact on society as a whole. Love encourages acts of kindness, acceptance, selflessness, and generosity, which all create a ripple effect creating a sense of community, positivity, and goodwill. Love transcends differences, breaking down barriers of race, religion, and nationality, promoting inclusivity and acceptance.
Love is an essential and transformational emotion in our lives. Let us cherish and nurture love, for it is the essence of our humanity.
August 15, 2023 at 1:12 am
Henry B
Love is many things, love is beautiful, love is powerful, love can hurt, love can leave you questioning yourself, love is learning to appreciate who you are, love builds character, love motivates, and most importantly love is realizing that the people you care about aren’t always perfect but you still choose to love them. Some people might argue they don’t think love is real and that’s perfectly understandable, everyone’s experiences are different, but personally I believe that because there are so many kinds and ways to love, it’s nearly impossible for it not to exist.
We often think of love as romantic love but self love is just as important. Many make the mistake of trying to look for someone when they still can’t love themselves. I always was looking for someone to make me happier because I chased the feeling of being wanted but now I’ve started to understand I need to learn to love myself before I put myself out there again. When you don’t love who you are, how do you expect someone else to love you?
While looking for romantic love I realized there are other aspects of love and I hope others don’t get caught up only thinking romance as the only kind. At one point I too started not to believe in love but experiencing other kinds of love has caused me to start believing again. I hope our generation starts believing in real relationships again because we all know we need to work on it!
August 15, 2023 at 1:37 am
Amber P
Love is such a broad and beautiful force, a force that drives the body, mind and soul to work, to improve, to live. Love can refer to a plethora of things – adoration in another person, loyalty to one’s confidants, passion for an artform, and so much more.
I believe that love is the deepest and purest emotion a person can feel, and it is the heart and mind’s most powerful fuel. Love for what you do and the people around you is what makes life beautiful and worthwhile, colorful and full of meaning. What are the people around you – your friends, family, co-workers, classmates, lovers, even enemies – without love but faceless numbers? And love spans even further than that.
Without love, one can never strive, never find reason for what they do or even who they are. Why do something, work years and even lifetimes for, sacrifice hours, days, months, years paving a path to a destination you have no love for, no actual pull towards? Why even dress, act, or be a certain way if you don’t love who you are in the process? You are not truly yourself until you love the skin you occupy, the lungs you breathe through, the brain and heart that power you. You cannot truly strive to improve yourself if you don’t have the love to see yourself improve, nor love what you aim to become.
For this, I believe that love is the purest motivator in every factor of life.
August 15, 2023 at 1:38 am
I believe in love. Love is a lot of things, it is companionship, it is a spirit, it is a feeling, it is sacrifice, it is selflessness, it is all these things. That being said I believe in love because it is love that overcomes. I guess the definition of love that I prescribe too is to bring out the best in another even to the detriment of yourself. Wether that be jeopardizing your comfortability in telling someone the truth in order to better them, or giving someone your meal so they can eat while you starve. This type of love truly is the most potent and deep kind of love. One that is self sacrificial and has great substance. This is the type of love that overcomes hate and evil. The world in of itself is evil. All around the world there is hate. In Africa, exploitation, in Europe, corruption, in Asia, obsession with power, in the Americas, division. The root of this evil however is our human condition. People are capable of great evil and likewise of great love. Such is the duality of man, but over and over again we tend to choose ourselves over the establishment and well being of others. We’re all guilty of this. Every one of us has passed a homeless man on the street and gave him nothing when capable of giving him something. Or refused to tell someone the truth in fear of the un-comfortability it may cause us. Or using and manipulating someone into doing something even if you know at the end of the day it’s not in their best interest. Not one of us is above the capability of evil. In Romans 3:23-24 it states “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We all have expressed evil and hate and have not loved others. Even so it is love that we ultimately must hope for and it is love that saves us. That being a greater love, the love of God. If you ever look at the world and question to think how all the bad things that happen can be resolved look no further than the love displayed on the cross. When God decided to sacrifice his son for the redemption of humanity, for our lack of love. This is what I hope in and what I believe in, this is what I know, that love will save the world.
August 15, 2023 at 2:03 am
I believe that true love will stand strong no matter the circumstances. Before students come to college, they have to decide if they are going to leave their high school relationship behind or if they will give long-distance a shot. Personally, I believe that in most situations people should give it a try. There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t give it a try, but in the end, the worst thing that can happen is that it won’t work out. Being in a long-distance relationship may be hard, but it also opens up so many different opportunities. It allows you to grow with your partner while also being able to still find your identity. It helps you learn responsibility between making time for your partner and also having your own time and getting all of your college work done. Having somebody that you know loves you unconditionally and is always by your side is such a good feeling. Long-distance relationships are definitely scary, but if you believe that you found the one then there is no reason to give up on that. It’s all about commitment, communication, trust, and honesty. As long as you stay true to your morals and to your partner, everything should be okay. There is no reason to break something that isn’t broken. Don’t sacrifice something that you want most for something you want in the moment. Your relationship is your relationship, and you would know it best, so don’t let other people talk you out of trying to make it work. If you and your partner are on the same page, then that’s the best you can do. Good luck to those of you who are entering college and staying in your high school relationship. We are on the same page!