Love is universal. It transcends barriers, cultures, kingdoms, even religions. Everyone experiences love. Everyone experiences the loss of love. Your experience is unique to you, but not to the world of love. People have hurt the same, maybe even worse. People have loved just as much, maybe even more.
You can find love in the tiniest of corners, the gloomiest of days, the darkest of holes. You just have to look for it. The smiling stranger on the subway, that “text me when you’re home” message, your jumping dog greeting you, the sound of laughter, a home cooked meal. Love surrounds you. You can see it if you’re looking in the right places.
As long as you are the holder of all the love you require, you will never search for it in anyone else. Your love journey starts with you. Your love journey ends with you. Your love journey is just that, a journey; so be kind to yourself along the way.
Love is patience and kindness and tenderness and sacrifice. Love is understanding and communicating and trusting and devoting. Love is romantic and sweet and passionate and affectionate. Love is friendship and laughter and kisses and hugs. Love is enduring and strong and unwavering and shameless. Still there are not enough words to describe it.
In order to appreciate sweetness, you must endure bitterness. To bask in sunshine, you must weather the storm. But love does not require pain. You may feel pain during your love journey, but it is not required to feel love. Enduring pain is not a measure of your ability to love or someone's ability to love you. Pain is not a symptom of love, it is a possible side effect. When the side effect becomes the symptom it is time to leave.
Your heart can never break. Heartbreak will not break your heart. Your heart is miraculous in that way; even when language instructed a downfall, it resisted. Your heart can hurt, and oftentimes it may, but your miraculous heart can also heal. Your heart knows how to heal. It is your miraculous heart.
You determine your worth. You determine your value. You and solely you. Do not leave this job up to anyone else. You are too precious, and the job is too big. Treat yourself how you expect to be treated. Deem yourself worthy of respect, then demand it. Deem yourself worthy of grace, then demand it. Deem yourself worthy of love, then demand it.
Feature Photo: Samia Minnicks Photography
Makeup Artist: Regan Wolfrey