LOVE

You thought this was going to be about relationships, didn’t you?

About cuddles, roses, and date nights under fairy lights.

Nah. This is about the kind of love that doesn’t get posted on Instagram.

The kind that breaks you quietly. Heals you silently.

The kind you never talk about because who would understand it anyway?

Let’s talk about love.

But not the filtered kind.

The real stuff. The messy kind. The kind that ruins your sleep and makes you rethink every decision you’ve ever made. At 2 AM, you find yourself staring at your ceiling, questioning why you continue to care about individuals who have departed.

Because love is not always cute.

It’s not always “me + u = forever.”

Sometimes it’s “me – me = empty.”

And sometimes? It’s just you… learning how to live with the version of yourself that someone else didn’t want.

The Ugly Truths No One Prints on Valentine Cards

Let’s start with the basics:

Love isn’t only romance.

It’s the friend who texted, “You okay?” when no one else noticed.

It’s the dog waiting by the door after a trash day.

It’s your mom burning dinner but still asking if it tastes alright.

And let’s be even more honest: sometimes love hurts more than hate ever could.

Because hate is easy.

It’s loud, messy, and simple.

But love?

It’s quiet. Subtle. It demands vulnerability. It sneaks in when your guard is down. Then it leaves when you're just starting to believe it might stay.

And for some of us?

Love never left.

It just never arrived.

Introverts and Extroverts: Two Sides of the Same War

Introverts feel love like earthquakes.

Silently. Deeply. With aftershocks that last months.

They won’t say much. But if you hurt them, congrats, you’ve just ruined every future Wednesday for the next three years.

Extroverts?

They scream love into the world and hope it screams back.

They love loudly, dance stupidly, and send 19 texts and a playlist.

But even the loud ones have nights where they hold themselves together with YouTube playlists and denial.

Whether you’re the quiet one watching sunsets alone or the loud one making TikToks about being single…

Love is still your battlefield.

Self-Love: The Most Abused Buzzword in the History of Healing

Let’s not sugarcoat it:

Self-love is hard when you don’t even like yourself.

You can’t bubble bath your way out of trauma.

Face masks won’t fix daddy issues.

Affirmations don’t erase the voice in your head that whispers, “You’re not enough.”

But self-love isn't about pretending you're fine.

It’s about choosing to show up anyway.

It’s when you get out of bed even when you feel useless.

When you forgive yourself for the things you didn’t know then.

When you stop chasing people who wouldn’t even pick up your call if they were bored and in traffic.

That’s love too.

And maybe the most important kind.

Love in Relationships: Let’s Get Real for a Second

We don’t fall in love with people.

We fall in love with the version of ourselves that we think they bring out.

That’s why breakups feel like funerals not just for the person, but for the you that only existed when they were around.

Here’s the truth:

Some people love you until it’s inconvenient.

Some only love you when you’re easy to love.

Some love the idea of you, not the work of you.

But not all love is meant to last.

Some love comes to burn away your illusions.

Someone comes to teach you how strong you are when you’re alone.

Some come to mirror everything you still need to fix.

And if you’re lucky?

One day, love will come that chooses you even when you're annoying, sad, distant, or tired.

But you won’t recognize it…

unless you’ve already learned how to choose yourself first.

Lessons They Don’t Teach in School

1. Love without boundaries isn’t love; it’s self-erasure.
2. You can miss someone and still be better without them.
3. You deserve love that doesn’t confuse you.
4. If they make you feel small, it’s not love; it’s power games.
5. If you don’t love yourself, you’ll believe anything someone else says about you.

Final Reflection: The Kind of Love That Stays

This blog isn’t about love that’s picture-perfect.

It’s about love that scars you, then teaches you how to heal.

It’s about the days you feel unlovable and decide to love yourself anyway.

It’s about all the different kinds of love that exist beyond holding hands and kissing in the rain.

Because real love?

Real love is choosing to stay when it would be easier to run.

Real love is showing up for yourself, for your people, and for your purpose even when no one claps for it.

And if no one’s told you lately:

You are not too broken to love or be loved.

You are not too late.

You are just learning.

Keep going.

So tell me, what does love mean to you?

Drop it in the comments. Share this with someone who needs a reminder that love is more than romance.

It’s resilience.

It’s the truth.

It’s you.

Make Sure To Read My Previous Parts.