The Stuff They Write Books About.

A hopeless romantic. Yep. That is me, right down to my core. I love love. I love the idea of caring so much for someone that you would quite literally do anything in the world just to make them happy. Consequently I am going to take a moment to talk about that cute little four letter word, since after all it is that time of year when love is in the air!;) And because it is that one certain time of year, I have been thinking a lot about what exactly is love. My sweet roommate who also is a blogger was asked to participate in another bloggers "14 Days of Love" which has had me reading and crying and pondering for the past hour and a half or so. All of the thoughts and feelings shared by those invited to write on this lovely blog have been running through my head and causing so many emotions to run through me. "What would I write if I were asked to participate in this blogger's series about love?" was the question that ran through my mind the entire time. And actually just the motivation I needed to put some words down here tonight because in all honestly I have been surrounded by love for quite some time now and the topic has been on my mind more than once in the recent months. Sooooo because of ALL of that I am going to try and put all my lovey feelings into words. Because yes I am a hopeless romantic. And I love love. 

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I recently finished a book in which I came across a handful of quotes that particularly stuck out to me. Two of which have come tonight sitting here writing this. The first is one that has become fairly popular on pinterest these days...at least I have seen in come up there more than a few times, and rightfully so it is a pretty powerful quote. 

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

Oh my heart how true that is. I know in my life this is something I can totally relate too. Even on the simple level of friendship I have had the thought "I can't be friends with them, I'm not (or I don't)                               [fill in the blank]" Instead of just accepting the love that is right in front of me. The love that I ACTUALLY deserve versus the love that I THINK I am allowed to have in my life.

The second quote was from a bit later on in the book. The main character (a young man) is in love with his best friend (a young lady a few years older than he is.) His love is very much kept to himself (which I COMPLETELY relate too!) The young lady is dating a different guy and in this particular part of the book they break up. That is where this quote comes in. 

"I never once thought that it would mean Sam might start liking me. All I cared about was the fact that Sam got really hurt. And I guess I realized at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn't matter."

Why do we put up walls? Why don't we accept the love being offered too us? And on the other side of that, why do we give that unrequited love? For me the first question is a bit harder to answer, but the second is easy.

I am all in. I am totally devoted. Sometimes I care too much. I love deep. I love hard. I give my all.

Because love doesn't run.

And if it does it isn't love.

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Love is being happy. Love is seeing your sister happier than ever before and not being able to contain yourself as she tells you all about her life.

Love is skyping your family to surprise your brother because it's his birthday and he's so excited to turn nine.

Love is being completely invested in the well being of others. It is doing anything for someone simply because you want to see them smile.

Love is being loyal. Love is being all in.

Love is good music that fills your soul and makes you feel whole.

Love is sacrifice. It is giving up something for something greater...even if that something greater is for someone else and not yourself. 

Love is listening to someone you really care about talk about the people in their life they are interested in.

Love is caring enough to put your feelings aside. 

Love is magic. Love is happiness. Love is special.

It is a email from a missionary friend ending "Happy Love Week Everybody"

Love is a roommate not who doesn't judge you even though you tend to cry like a baby when you get overly emotional. 

Love is allowing yourself to have chocolate when you've had a rough day and not feeling bad about it. It is having the perspective to know that a bad grade doesn't mean you're a horrible person, and still staying focused because you love yourself enough to keep pushing yourself to do better.

Love is putting your trust in the Lord. Love is seeing yourself and others the way the Savior does.

Love is understanding that God's plan for you is better than the plan you may have for yourself.

Love is listening to happy songs. 

Love is recognizing the Tender Mercies of the Lord.

Love is knowing you can call your Mom to talk about absolutely anything and doing so.

Love is valentines packages from home that make your whole week...not because of the chocolates or the boot warmers, but because of the home made valentine your baby brother sent you.

Love is dancing in the kitchen and making delicious foods to share with those around you.

Love is taking down your walls and letting people in.

Love is people letting me write letters to them, even if they are a little old fashioned. 

Love is baking delicious treats.

Love is laughing till your stomach hurts.

Love is cuddling and watching romantic movies that never fail to make me cry.

Love is finding that friend who is your kindred soul.

Love is hard.

Love is trying to become the very best version of myself, for myself and for my future husband.

Love is being able to work through the mess when it does get hard.

Love is finding someone who accepts your flaws and loves your imperfections.

Love is finding joy in the journey.

Love is family. And friends who are an extension of that family. 

Love is finding a group of kids who accept and genuinely care for you. It's countless movie nights, countless jokes, and countless hours of laughter. 

Love is new friendships that just make so much sense.

Love is old friends that put up with all your craziness.

When you are little, love is a happy meal, and kittens, and getting to play outside at recess. It is getting a chocolate pudding snack pack in your lunch and being so excited about it. It is the pure joy felt when you walked into your classroom and saw the TV stand in the front of the class, and the excitement that filled the room when you had a class party.

In middle school, love is finding out who your real friends are. Love is silly crushes that you keep in your head because you understand that they are simply that, silly. Love is discovering exactly who you are and what you stand for. Love is having leaders who believe in you enough to make you want to be a better person so you don't let them down.

In high school, love is finding your passion. And then having the strength to stick with it through trials and injuries not even being able to do what you love. Love is being comfortable enough to sit at lunch by yourself and being okay with that. Love is continuing to discover yourself, but this time it is discovering the type of person you want to become. Love is making hard decisions. Love is learning to trust in the Lord during those hard times.

Love is realizing that the best friends are your sisters. Love is 18 years of homemade lunches, and a mom who wakes up early every morning to make them. Love is looking past feelings to keep a friendship alive because it is that important to have that person in your life. Love is late night chats and spur of the moment adventures with those who mean the most to you. Love is seeing yourself doing things with these same people years on down the road. 

Love is chocolate milk and country music and summer time knowing that you can follow your dreams no matter how crazy they are because no matter what you can always go home.

Love is being yourself and being happy with it.

Love is exciting and raw and real.

Love is finding that person who is your best friend for eternity.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is never-ending.

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Love is finding the stuff they write books and movies about and having it be real life.

Love is a form of caring and cherishing. I think if you love someone it is a desire to sacrifice everything  on their behalf. If you love someone you are genuinely interested in them and their well being. I think love is a desire to give someone all of yourself in behalf of their happiness. I think there are different degrees of love for different people and relationships. 

But mostly I think that love is seeing someone the way the Savior sees them and having the desire to be with them for time and all eternity.