This Is What Love Is To Me

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To me, love in the 21st century is not an easy feat. We’re constantly wired by life through social media, basing our existence around the number of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ and so much less of good ol’ physical and emotional contact and connection.

We’re a rare breed – we crave what’s unattainable but can never figure out how to keep what’s ours until it’s too late.

Story of our lives.

But it took a shower session and clearing my thoughts in a hot water bath to realize what love in this year and age sounded like.

To me, love sounds a lot like, “Hey babe, how are you feeling? You sounded a little down today.”

It looks like – carving out time in a day to check-up on or call your significant other because they’re important and the sound of their voice puts your heart at ease.

It’s a simple text saying, “Good morning babe” simply to show you that you are the first thing they think about in the morning when they wake up.

It’s the cute GIFS or memes that say, “Hey I laughed when I saw this and I thought of sharing this with you”,

Love is a lot like making yourself free from 10: 30 p.m. to 11 p.m. because you know that’s when his classes end and that’s probably the only time you’d get to see him – through a phone screen.

Love, to me, is a lot like beaming when your friends ask you about him and you gladly tell them that he’s the best thing that has ever happened to you.

It’s a lot like sending him pictures you want to post on Instagram but can’t decide which one, so you ask for his opinion, even though you’ve mentally chosen your fav pic.

It’s a lot like wanting them to be the first person you tell the good and bad to.

Love is a lot like showing them something first before you share it with the world.

It’s a lot like getting flooded with comments but only wanting to see his name pop up on your phone screen.

Yes, love is also buying you the extra box of nuggets because even if you’ve had your meal, you might get hungry. It’s a lot like doing your laundry for you and getting it ironed for the next day because you’ve had a long day at work. It’s cooking you your favourite meal because you’ve been away missing home-cooked meals for a very long time.

But whether your significant other is near or far, love is a whole lot of patience, effort and determination to keep things alive.

But most of all, to me, love is…

“Hey, I know you got this presentation today. But don’t worry, I already prayed for you”

It’s a lot like, “I’m not going to sleep until I make sure you’re okay.”

It’s “I love you’s only when it’s truly felt in the heart and not said in the heat of the moment.”

It’s “I’m here for you whenever you need me.”

It’s giving something your significant other likes doing a chance because it makes them happy and you like seeing them happy.

You see the difference between what you think love is and what love really is? Recognize that.

Because it’s not one-sided efforts, sky-high ego with no room for apologies, and never-ending let downs. It’s “I’m sorry, let me make it up to you.” It’s “Please forgive me for whatever I did wrong, I don’t want to go to bed mad at you,” and “This time, it will happen. Pinky promise.”

It’s prioritizing them, no matter the circumstances because although in love where there is give and take, there also is, ‘I choose you, over everything else. Over and over again.’

Because where there is love, nothing is ever too much trouble and there is always time.