You know that feeling when you’re falling in love?
Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t. I think it depends on the person. But I can bet you’ve felt it before, whether you recognize it or not.
It’s that sinking, swooping feeling deep in your stomach when someone smiles your way or says, “I thought of you.”
It’s that way of not knowing what else to say to someone you love so much other than just looking at them ruefully and thinking, “You’re here.”
You’re here, and that’s all I can think about. You’re here, and you’re lighting up the room with every word that leaves your mouth. You’re here, and you’re perfect in my eyes, even if you aren’t in yours. The curve of your Cupid’s bow, the smile lines in your cheeks, the way your eyelashes brush your skin when you blink.
All I can do is stare, because when I look at you, I see you inside and out. I see every time we’ve laughed over something completely ridiculous, every time we’ve hugged each other for comfort, every time we’ve aired out our frustrations about life to each other. I see the way you light up when someone mentions your favorite color or your favorite actor. I see that twinkle in your eye when life doesn’t weigh you down, and I can tell when it dims. I see the past, present, and future in you, and I can’t look away.
It’s that way of knowing this person will be important to you forever. Even if they leave your life one day, that love was there. It was there.
Love is the most important thing in our lives. It’s the one thing that transcends time, space, every unthinkable reality. It’s the vital source that keeps us going when times get tough. We fight for love. We cry for it; we yearn for it. It’s everywhere, in every breath and every heartbeat.
It’s in the brushing of fingers, the silence of the unknown, and the way you’ll never be the same again.
We are changed by love every day. Every day, there’s something that tells us to hang on.
That’s why there are so many cheesy romance books and rom-com movies. They aren’t simply “chick flicks.” I can guarantee there are men out there who secretly love rom-coms. It’s because we, the human race, are so obsessed with love. Humans are a social species. Kick one of us into isolation, and it’s like you just doomed them to an eternity in prison with no food or water. We need each other.
We can relate to these forms of media that showcase love because it’s an inherent part of every soul. Not all of us know what it’s like to walk a red carpet or get in a car chase. But we know love. It’s the driving force of everything, everywhere, all at once.
The love we feel for each other is altered, covered in gift wrap, then presented to the nearest other person in the form of kindness. Love makes us giddy and joyful, so much so we can’t help but feel like everything will be okay. We pass it on to the next person, hoping it makes them feel a similar type of way. Their love might be expressed differently. But nevertheless, it’s there. And maybe, that’s all we need.
The mark of love is like a permanent kiss on skin. Not like a brand, which is cruel and unforgiving. Love is gentle, sweet, and understanding. It helps you when you’ve been lost in a dark cave for a very long time by opening up a tiny sliver of light in the rock. Suddenly, each kiss on your arm is clear as day, and you’re back on the beach with your loved ones. It’s not so scary anymore.
Every conversation I’ve ever had with anyone has an underlying tone: I know you, and you know me. Even if we just met, this moment tells me something about you, and you now know the look on my face when I’m feeling sonder. You can understand me in a certain way. That, however strange it may be, is a form of love.
Now, I’m back to you. You don’t even notice how I’m so enraptured by you, and if you did, you’d probably think I was insane. But it’s you. How could I not be entranced?
