We fall in love for a million reasons — because of chemistry, because of similar interests, because we’re in the right place at the right now. Falling in love is the easy part — it’s everything after that’s harder.

Love can’t fix your problems. It’s not some magical remedy that can make your life better. While falling in love might make you feel like the world is a little brighter, the fact of the matter is that you have to go back to reality eventually — and sometimes, reality isn’t so pretty. And when things aren’t pretty, sometimes people leave.

That’s why it’s important to be with the person who will hold your hand when things get hard, who will let you rest your tired head on their shoulder and listen even when you don’t know what to say. Who will make you food even when you’re too stressed to feel hungry, who will lay beside you when you’re too sad to leave your bed.

Be with someone who accepts every version of yourself — from sunny days to hurricane, the good and the bad. Who doesn’t see you as any less when you feel like you are, who still holds you on a pedestal when you feel small. Who doesn’t see your bad days as problems but just little bumps along the road that you can maneuver together — who stands beside you and never lets go.

Love them back with the same tenacity, with the same gentle understanding that they grant you. Love them when they hit rock bottom and don’t know where else to go. Not everyone will stay through the hard parts; when someone does, don’t let go.

Be with the person who loves you at your darkest, because they’re the one who will stick by your side through everything. Because you can fall in love with anyone, but they’re the one who will never stop loving you back.