Don’t. Don’t burn those pictures.

Don’t throw away the precious memories you had- the moments filled with pure innocence and happiness. They’re wrong. You don’t have to forget to move on. Take those polaroid pictures out at 2 AM. Remember. Remember the way his lips felt, the tone of his voice, the softness of his warm brown eyes. Remember his gentle touch- his hands in your hair, his arms wrapped around your waist. Let your eyes well up at the thought of the moments that you cannot get back. This is what love feels like.

Love. This single word seems to be what defines our existence. Such a simple four-lettered word- how can it elicit so many feelings from each of us?

What do you think of when you think of love?

Do you think of rainy days spent curled on a cozy couch with him holding you? All the deep conversations that lasted till the AM? Laying down next to her, legs tangled, talking about where you wanted to live together? Do you remember how you felt, when she pressed her lips against your forehead? Do you remember how fast your heart was racing when you first kissed? Remember how nervous you were before you took off your clothes for the first time? He made you feel beautiful and safe. Do you remember her breath on your cheeks as she fell asleep next to you? You wished that moment could last forever.

Love is blinding. Love is passionate. Love is safe. Love is when you feel like you’re finally home. But love is also sorrow. It is heartbreak. It tears you apart. Love makes you sit waiting at 3 AM wondering when he will come home. Or if he will ever call. Love is broken promises. Love is tear-stained sleeves, empty mailboxes and lonely nights. Love tastes like cigarettes and mistakes. Love is crying yourself to sleep every night because the empty space on your bed matches your empty heart. But love makes you feel.

From the best of feelings to the worst, here are 37 statements from anonymous individuals (submitted both online and quoted in person) of all ages and their take on love.

1. “Duty to perform to yourself and to others with selflessness and with care.” – 10

2. “Love sucks.” – 17

3. “Love is innocence.” – 17

4. “Love isn’t how far you get, but how many obstacles you had to overcome to be where you are.” – 17

5. “Apparently, it’s the mind that falls in love and not the heart.” – 17

6. “When he scores a 4/5 on the list of things-I-don’t-want-my-boyfriend-to-be, but he’s still my ideal one.” – 17

7. “Love is an idea that we as humans should spread around the world, especially with all the violence going on, we forget simple things such as to love one another.” – 18

8. “The vision of imperfection being perfect, disregarding the flaws, no matter how bad they can be.” – 18

9. “It’s like when you look at them you feel like someone is physically gripping your heart. They have all the power over you. In a way it kind of hurts but in the best way it ever could.” – 18

10. “Love is patient, love is kind.” – 18

11. “Love is when someone chooses us over everyone else- under any circumstance” – 18

12. “Love is love is love.” – 18

13. “Love is subjective and overused, people mistreat it, abuse it, and fool around with it like some jiggly water balloon.” – 18

14. “Something that feels like home, gives you endless highs, but is the closest thing to death.” – 19

15. “Love is all about fucking.” – 19

16. “I don’t know what love is.” – 19

17. “Give and take.” – 19

18. “Unconditional.” – 19

19. “Not worth it.” – 19

20. “An overrated, intangible misconception that people still continuously search for.” – 19

21. “Love is letting him do it in the butt.” – 19

22. “Suffering for someone.” – 19

23. “Knowing that you can rely on this person more than you can rely on yourself.” -19

24. “A best friend.” – 19

25. “Love is not real.” – 20

26. “Loving you even after I saw your flaws.” – 20

27. “Love, easily, is pure honesty- with yourself and others. More importantly, love is psychosomatic, but that’s okay. After all, aren’t we allowed to make things up? – 21

28. “Fake, people settling for the best they can.” – 21

29. “Enhanced dopamine, overload of serotonin, and a fuckload of adrenaline.” – 21

30. “Socially constructed.” – 22

31. “Love is an unexplainable happiness that is experienced by someone and has no limit. It is unparalleled to any other feeling.” – 22

32. “What do the kids say these days? Swipe right? Or left?” – 41

33. “Love is like a candle, bright but full of tears.” – 43

34. “Love is selfless. When you love someone, you just want to love them, no need for them to return your love” – 45

35. “Never-ending.” – 46

36. “Loving something or someone else more than you love yourself.” – 47

37. “Love can be anything- seeing another person who means the world to you through how you perceive each other. Deep emotions.” – 70

 

After receiving all these answers, I still don’t have a definition for love.

But what I do know, is that love is everywhere. Love is when you spare a dollar for the homeless man who always sits by the corner store. Or when you hold the door open for someone. Love is when my roommate turns off the lights and pulls the covers on me when I accidentally fall asleep. Love is when my best friend shows up with a box of donuts. Love is when my little sister draws pictures of me. Love is “text me when you get back safely,” and “you’re such an idiot.” Love is losing yourself in someone like they are the ocean and you are desperate to drown.

 

— originally posted on The Odyssey Online