What is love, I ask
A soft, quiet plea
One that begs for a reason to stay
A plea that echos around a void of emptiness inside
Sometimes, I feel I will never know
I sit within the deafening silence of my soul, for a moment
But then
A whisper
From deep within my own awareness, a song born of my own being
And all at once, from the eternal endlessness of space and time and the universe
From within me and from without
A reply so gentle and nourishing and knowing
Envelopes me
And you
And all of us
Dissolving all pain, all loneliness, and all the despair of our hearts
A reply
Love is all of it
When you quiet the mind
And set the spirit free
When you open your heart
And release yourself from expectation
When you let go of blame, shame and judgement
And instead see yourself through the lens of wisdom and compassion, curiosity and kindness
When you become aware of your wounds but no longer allow them to determine the course of your life
When you see the light behind all of it
You know
You know what love is
Love is to find your whole self in the shimmering rainbow of a life not half lived
The full human experience
The good, the bad, the soft and the soul crushing, the deeply nourishing and the moments of despair
There is learning here
Always
Love is to know your true nature
To explore yourself through those who journey life alongside you
Even if only for a short while
To feel the joy and the pain and the deepest gratitude and all the rest of it
Love is to feel it all and know yourself better
Love is sometimes to softly, tentatively open your bruised and thread bare heart in the presence of those who truly see you
In all your messy humanness
And gently hold you there
To know that you exist beyond your own limited self perception
As something more beautiful than you could ever possibly imagine
You know? Those people who know the darkest corners of your being but look at you still with eyes so pure and bright and full of wonder
Those who know and accept every part of you
Exactly as you are
And every day, remind you of your light
Love creates a space for us to find our courage
To be brave
It's a whisper on the wind that kisses your gentle skin in a split second of doubt
And soothes the otherwise searing moments of pain
A deep knowing from within that you are worthy
Separate from anything or anyone else
Love is to know vulnerability
Intimately
To feel the fear of uncertainty
Trusting that your strength will endure the pain
Should it come
It is to allow a door in the walls surrounding your withered heart
Walls stacked up and up through years of hurt
To trust enough to loan the key
Occasionally
Love is to be so deeply felt by another soul that you know yourself better
Eyes meeting eyes that recognise each other
Love is there in every inhale of our being
In every moment of this beautiful existence
It's not the songs or the stories or the big romantic gestures
It's the smallest acknowledgement that means everything
It's a deep acceptance of what is
Love is not a need to possess or control
Love is freedom and letting go
It's not all bells and whistles but a quiet knowing that you’ve found a home in the hearts of others
Others who might not know you at all, but also know you entirely
And even when parted by miles and miles of ocean
Knowing that you have become a tiny piece of the rich tapestry of another human life
And a deep appreciation that they have become a part of yours
Love is to touch and to be touched
And to remain forever changed
Love is not this or that, or just one thing
It's all of it