What is love? I’m only 17 years old (going on 18), so people might think I have no idea what I’m talking about. But in those 17 years, I’ve observed a lot. I’ve experienced a lot. I’ve learned a lot. And based on all of that, I think I have a pretty good idea of what love is.
Love is what everyone wants, but no one is entirely sure how to get. If it was easy to get, everyone would be in love, no problem. Thing is, we think too much because we crave that feeling that love gives us. A feeling of being on Cloud 9, taken away with that significant other to another place that no one else inhabits. Because we want it so bad, we’ll do anything to get it.
Love is simple. But it’s so simple to the point that it’s complex. Love is so basic, that it’s difficult to comprehend. We don’t understand half of the things we do, because we’re spurred by love. We have to make love complicated for some reason. Love has this insane control over us that we don’t even realize in the process. Love makes us do crazy things, things that we’ll look back on and think “Why the hell did I DO that???” But despite that, we won’t regret it.
Love is happiness. Love is being with that person and being genuinely happy. There are no strings attached to it— when you’re with that person, everything just becomes “better.” That person will bring sunshine to your rainy day, regardless of whatever else is going on. Love is laughter, joy, corny jokes between one another.
Love is sadness. With love comes many forms of upset. Sometimes, love is too much to handle for people. It results in broken hearts because you loved so much. Or a loved one is unable to be with you at that time, going onto a better place. Sometimes, love leaves you in tears. Those tears reflect the way your heart feels at that moment, and to be quite frank? It sucks.
Love is trust. But it’s also doubt. When you love someone, you care so much about that person. And even though you can trust that person completely, love makes you act in crazy ways. Just the thought of not being with your loved one can be insane, can pull at your heartstrings. That’s why we act in ways we don’t recognize when we become… jealous. Even though jealousy is unhealthy, it’s our heart showing the other person “Hey, I know this isn’t pretty right now, but I just can’t stand thinking of not being with you. I love you too much.”
Love is vulnerability. It is being able to trust that person so much that you’re able to peel off those layers you show to the general public. You’re able to take that facade down, pull the mask off and be truly vulnerable to that person. And even though it’s scary, it’s also ok. Because you know that they won’t hurt you. They love you too much to do that.
Sometimes Love is sex. Not that crazy lusting sex that happens so much these days, full of lust. I mean, don’t get me wrong. That’s fine. Love is lust. But it’s more romance than lust. Even though sex is an important factor, the romantic feelings surging through both you and your significant other are much more special. You can’t have those feelings with just anyone. It’s an indescribable bond between people. One that can’t be replicated. And you want to cherish that feeling you get from sex as much and as long as possible. Sometimes you don’t even need that. A hug makes everything better. A hug says so much in something so simple. In that hug, the other person knows just how much you truly love them. Because in that hug, you feel like you never wanna let go.
Love is messy. Love is yelling and screaming fights back and forth to see who can scream louder, sometimes over the littlest things like who left the toilet seat up. Love is full of many fights and arguments and, often, tears. Because you trust this person to see you at your most vulnerable. And that includes both your good and bad traits. Love is clashing over certain situations that pick at you and cause problems. Love is slamming the door in someone else’s face and walking away. No one said love is perfect. But you know that when things have cooled down you’ll come walking back with something cheesy like a stuffed bear or a sheepish smile. You don’t have to try too hard. You know they’ll take you back. The bad times don’t overshadow the good.
Love is staying up late nights and just… talking. Because there isn’t enough time in the day to spend with that person. So you’ll use as much as you can. But then… eventually you have to sleep, I guess.
Love is comfortable. I mean, not-having-to-dress-up-in-your-best-clothes-constantly comfortable. It’s having your significant other surprise you at your house and you’re still in your pajamas with no makeup on at all, but you don’t care. It’s walking around everywhere in a comfy baggy t-shirt and sweat pants, holding hands. It’s not having to do something fancy every time you go on a date— a simple movie night on the couch or doing something very childish like making a fort and making snacks will suffice. All of that commercial stuff isn’t all that important, because they see how beautiful you are in the buff. Not all of it is necessary. It’s picking fun at the other person in harmless jokes. You know that person inside-and-out, and you know their little flaws, so you make jabs with a cute smile on your face because it is out of love.
Love is stupidly simple. Love is those corny love songs you hear on the radio. Or those cheesy pickup lines you hear. Or the poetry you read. The stuff that you know is so lame, yet it puts a gushy smile on your face because when you think about love, it just makes everything better. Love is holding hands. Hugs. Cuddling. Smiles. Stares. Kisses. Simple things.
Sometimes love just doesn’t work out. It results in divorces. Break-ups. Drift apart. People say that they fell out of love, but I don’t see it like that. I see it like… they gave up. Sometimes love is just too much to bear and you pull out. But that doesn’t mean it’s the end of love. You can find it with someone else. Because love isn’t a one-time thing. It’s all around out.
Love comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes love is romantic. Love is between family members and close friends. Love is straight. Love is gay. Love is interracial. Love is same race. Love is face-to-face. Love is long distance. No matter the type of love, they all bring the same effect— happiness.
There are no words to truly describe what love is. Even though I’m describing it right now, there is still so much that has been left unsaid. Because love isn’t something that you can describe. For all you people that have tried to put love into words, you know I’m right. But it’s ok. Because love is better felt, experienced. And describing love to someone else is useless, because no words can compare to the feeling you have when you love or are in love.
I still have a lot to learn. And I’m looking forward to it. ♥