Dear Love,
You are such a strange thing.
You show up in places
we don’t always notice,
in moments that are so ordinary
we almost let them pass us by.
You are in friendships
that pick up where they left off,
in family that checks in,
in strangers who choose kindness
even when they don’t have to.
You are in laughter
shared across a crowded room,
in sitting beside someone
when there are no words to say,
in being remembered,
and remembering others.
I used to think
you had to be something big.
Something we searched for,
something we waited on.
But maybe you’re much simpler than that.
Maybe you are
“Did you make it home?”
“I saved you some.”
“I’m proud of you.”
or simply,
“I’m here for you.”
You are giving people grace.
You are showing up.
You are allowing people to grow
without holding who they used to be
against them.
And sometimes,
you are giving that same kindness
to ourselves.
Maybe love isn’t something
we have to spend our lives chasing.
Maybe it has been around us
in a hundred different forms,
quietly reminding us
that to care
and to be cared for
is enough.
With love,
Someone still learning.
Neela Freeman is a senior in Exercise Science, Exercise Specialist Concentration. NF981460@wcupa.edu