Love, a beautiful four-letter word we throw around like sprinkles whenever we feel even a tiny bit of attraction for someone.
It starts with a text message, a smile, maybe a few late-night calls, and suddenly we are daydreaming about forever. We don’t even stop to ask ourselves what is this really? because it feels good, and we want it to be love.
We grow up thinking love is supposed to be magical, effortless, and somehow fix everything. That if it’s real, it’ll just flow without any problems.
Movies tell us that love conquers all. Social media gives us highlight reels of perfect couples with matching hoodies. And slowly, we start building this picture of love that does not actually exist.
But the truth is that love is not always cute. It’s not always kind. It doesn’t always feel like butterflies or fireworks.
1. Sometimes, you think it’s love, but it’s just intense chemistry
You meet someone, and everything feels so strong, so fast. You can’t stop smiling when you see their name pop up on your phone.
You feel seen, excited, and suddenly, they are ALL you think about. It feels like something big is happening. But that’s basically excitement – the spark you feel when something new happens and you kind of like it.
But real love is different. It does not rely on constant phases of excitement and just “vibes,” as we call it nowadays. It grows slowly. It shows up in quiet ways, not just as butterflies in the stomach and long phone calls.
It stays when things are not fun anymore. When the spark fades, what’s left is what really matters.
It’s someone checking in on you after a long day, even when they are tired and busy. It’s them choosing you on the boring days, not just the exciting ones.
2. You can love someone, but still know it’s not right
Sometimes you really care about someone. You want to be with them, you try so hard to make things work. But there’s this feeling inside that just won’t let you ignore the truth. No matter how much you want it to, it’s just not where you belong.
You tell yourself maybe things will get better. You hold on tight because you want it to work so badly. But love alone can’t fix everything. You find yourself crying more than smiling, overthinking every little thing, and still feeling alone, even when they’re right there next to you.
And deep down, you know that’s not how love should feel.
Leaving someone you love is not easy. It feels wrong, and it hurts. But sometimes loving someone means knowing when to let go, not because you stopped loving them, but because you started loving yourself enough to walk away.
3. Love doesn’t look like the movies — and that’s a good thing
We have all grown up watching movies where love fixes everything. Two people meet, fall for each other, and despite all the odds, everything somehow magically works in their favor, and BAM! They Live Happily Ever After….
Real life is not like a movie, and real love is definitely different than what we see in romantic Hollywood films or read in books.
It’s not always glamorous or smooth. It’s raw, complicated, and full of imperfections.
Real love is two people showing up when things get hard. It’s about staying by each other when life throws challenges their way, like cleaning up after your partner when they’re sick at 2 a.m., or having those tough, vulnerable conversations about each other’s toxic families.
It’s not giving up on them when they are struggling through a financial crisis or post-partum depression, even when it’s easier to walk away. Real love is messy, but it’s also real, raw, and something that’s worth every bit of effort.
4. You don’t need someone else to make you feel whole
It’s easy to believe that you need someone to complete you. Society feeds us this idea that a relationship will fix everything, that love will somehow fill the empty parts of you.
But honestly, that’s a lie we have all been told. If you are waiting for someone else to make you feel like you are enough, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
Being whole doesn’t come from anyone else; it comes from accepting yourself as you are – flaws and all. It’s about finding peace in your own company, learning how to be happy alone before you share that happiness with someone else.
You don’t need someone to prove your worth. That’s why real love, the kind that lasts, starts with you. You don’t need your partner just for the sake of ‘having someone.’ You need one who you can love with your whole heart and who loves you back just as much.
It’s like realizing that you don’t need someone to ‘save’ you. You’ve got your own back. And once you realize that, you stop relying on someone else to make you feel complete.
5. Love is not always fireworks and happy endings
We’ve been taught that love is all about fireworks, grand gestures, and those picture-perfect, magical moments.
But here’s the reality – love is way quieter than that. It’s often subtle. It’s in the late-night talks when you’re both exhausted but still find comfort in each other’s company.
It’s in the small, everyday gestures that say more than words ever could, like making your partner coffee in the morning because you know they had a tough night, or holding their hand when the world feels like it’s falling apart.
It’s about sticking around through the mess, the fights, and those long silent moments when nothing is perfect but you’re both still there, choosing each other over and over again.
That’s what real love looks like — being there even when it’s tough, and loving someone for who they really are, not for some perfect version of them.
Leave A Comment:
What do you think real love looks like? Share your thoughts and opinions with me in the comments. I would love to hear from you.
