What love means to me...

For a very long time, I have struggled with understanding love. I always had this clear picture of what I thought it would be. You know - the fairytale kind - love that last forever - the passionate, consuming kind - lots of love with a lil adventure and a happy ending. But it never actually lives up to your expectations.

I recently read an article and it summed up what I mean to say:

"In our minds, we have an idea of what we think love is or how we think it ideally should be. We picture it to the extent that when it comes to our real-life experiences with love, it can’t seem to compare to what we had anticipated or hoped for, leaving us disappointed."

Anyways, moving on - my ideal love has always been what my parents share - constant, unending & ever growing. They have lived up to all their marriage vows, been with each other through better & worse. And from what I see, if there was no love in their relationship - it probably wouldn't have lasted all these years.

So drawing from what I have seen with them and what I feel, this is what love means to me:

It means no ultimatums or threats to the person I love (cause love shouldn't demand or pressurize).

It means putting his needs before my own (cause love needs a lil compromise). 

It means wanting to make him the happiest person alive (cause if he is happy, I'm happy).

It means I'd be happy by just being around him - being in the space he occupies, the air that surrounds him.

It means I would hug him & kiss him every morning before he leaves to work (hoping it makes his mornings better).

It also means I wouldn't mind waiting the whole day for him to get home (cause its comforting to have someone to come home to).

It means that he doesn't need to touch or kiss me, for me to feel close to him.

It means feeling peaceful while lying in his arms when he sleeps - hearing his heart beat and his rhythmic breathing.

It means feeling safe in his arms when he hugs me (cause he gives the best hugs and bonus - he smells so good).

It means listening to his worries, his dreams, his desires and just being there for him. But it also means giving him space when he needs it.

It means understanding that we are both humans and we make mistakes - so forgiveness is important.

It means sometimes I need to take his yelling/snapping cause I know he's stressed about something else.

It means forgiving all his broken promises and the times he didn't live up to his word.

It means not giving up on him even if he sometimes makes me feel like I should.

But most importantly - it means  - loving him unconditionally, passionately & with no expiration date!