5 Things I’ve Learned About True Love From My Parents

1. It is always giving your best.

True love means not always being at the peak of your health or happiness, but taking care of your partner in spite of that. It means putting them first and helping them when they need you.

On the day I am writing this, my mother sprained her back early in the morning. My father (who used to study acupressure) in his old age and with weakened arms, woke up from his sleep and used all his body strength to give her a full massage. While doing this, he taught me the right pressure points to press so I can care for them both if it were to happen again. Afterwards, she got up and immediately felt better, cheered and gave him a big kiss.

2. It is gratitude.

True love is being able to appreciate the things they do for you, big or small. It is always communicating, it is saying thank you for cooking dinner or for catching the roach running across the room. It is being grateful for what you have and who you are sharing it with.

3. It is staying young.

True love is having fun like little kids do. After a night out visiting the rest of the family, my parents love racing to our front door to see who can unlock it first, always walking in giggling.

Yes, there are times we have to be serious, but if we can have a laugh along the way, why don’t we? We grow old, but our love doesn’t have to.

4. It is patience.

True love isn’t blind love. It isn’t always good times. We all have our bad habits that can drive our other half up the wall, but we deal with it one way or another. Sometimes they don’t listen to what we have to say, sometimes they forget. We may be momentarily annoyed, but we don’t hold it against the other person forever. It’s about knowing when to hold your ground and when to let go.

5. It is sweet.

True love puts a smile on your face when you see it. Whenever my family goes out, I love walking behind my parents because I get to see my mum and dad walking side-by-side before slowly interlocking fingers. It’s a really small gesture but after being married for almost thirty years, there is something special about being able to hold hands in pride, as if to say, “Look at us. We made it.”

I have learned how to love by watching how my parents treat each other every day. It is the greatest love story, unfolding right in front of my very eyes. I see the things that they do for each other and I just know – That, that is the love I want. I won’t settle for anything less.