Love is a difficult concept, whether it be self love, the love you have for your friends, and oh yes, romantic love. Throughout the past couple months, the concept of love has shaped me and influenced my life in more ways than one and I never thought I'd be so thankful for it.


Growing up, when it came to the prospect of relationships, I had always been constantly bombarded by it and holy hell was it annoying. When you're surrounded by people constantly asking you if you're finally in a relationship and the answer you have for them is no, you're made to feel like there's something wrong with you. Reality check, you can't force love and you can't force a relationship for the pure purpose of pleasing people who shouldn't give a shit about your relationship status. Love isn't based on how you look, what your aspiring career field is, or anything superficial. When love comes and it happens, it hits you like the most amazing burst of fireworks, and you'll realize that some things weren't meant to work out because that was meant to be.



It's a weird feeling, knowing that there's someone out there who loves you the way you love them. I had never been able to fathom someone ever loving me although I understand how I love them. But love isn't something that's easily explained. It's so conceptual and only you can ever feel what you feel for another person, sometimes in ways that can't be explained in words. I imagine that being in love is looking into their eyes and having to look away after a number of seconds because your heart is about to burst with warmth, it's admiring them sitting in front of you and wondering how on earth someone so beautiful is yours, it's about laying in bed with the sun setting, the room gradually dimming, and saying "I love you" in between kisses because you're filled with so much love, it's about risking your life climbing a ladder to get to the rooftop and to feel so alive with the person who makes you feel.

It's a learning experience. You learn a lot, about yourself, about relationships in general, about communication, and about your own emotions. You feel like a different person with a new take on life, feeling invincible and that you can take on anything that comes your way. Being in love gives you the direction and drive you thought you lost, because they believe so much in you that they become your number one fan in anything that you do. You learn how to embrace your emotions, feeling so many of them in 24 hours than you've felt in an entire year, and you cry at movie musicals because you're able to relate for once (La La Land truly hits the feels if you know what I'm saying). You learn more about the concept of self-love that you even start to believe it, because the other person sees so much more potential in you than you do, and that concept in and of itself is mind-blowing and life changing.



It makes you unbelievably happy. The funniest and most ironic thing about the happiness that comes with it though is that some people won't like it. People become cynical and it's funny to watch when you yourself are on a path to learning how to love yourself and other people and finding contentment within who you are and what you love, and honestly, the people who hate that, aren't worth a second thought. That person that makes you happy and the happiness you feel is all that matters. 




Friendship love. Aside from the joys of romance, one of the most fulfilling relationships in life are the ones with your friends. The people you surround yourself with will shape the kind of person you'll be and who you'll become. They get to know your real character, who you are as a person, what you love and how to love and support your wildest dreams and what makes you happy. They fill you with so much joy with every inside joke, every coffee date spent drinking overpriced coffee, talking about the existential crisis' of life and solving them within the hour, every deep chat that happens in the car, afternoon's at their house when life just gets a little rough and spontaneous dinners at a Thai restaurant because you just spent hours talking about how you want to try something new. Above all, I've learned that friends are supposed to encourage you to continually grow and change to become your greatest self, and you're okay with that because you know they'll be by your side growing with you along the way. Friends truly fill you with gratitude and how lucky you feel to know them, telling them how much you love them a little too much because you know they love you back.



Love, as a concept and in all forms, is beautiful. A concept so ethereal and indescribable until you feel it, that has the ability to inspire and to send happiness rushing through your veins. A feeling that I hope everyone has the chance to discover one day.







Photos shot and edited by: Van Bui