When you love, I hope you never forget who you are. I hope you still allow yourself some time to do things that bring you joy; maybe it's reading as you are cuddled in your bed, maybe it's taking long walks in the park alone, maybe it's taking yourself out to dinner. It doesn't matter so long as you still do the things you did before you became a 'we'. So that when you are left with nothing— when that person chooses to walk away from you— you will still be able to stand again. You won't be lost, confused on who you are because the only 'you' you knew was the you that was with that person.

How do you know love to be? Is it just like the ones we watch on TV? Is it just like the movies where the guy catches a glimpse of the most beautiful girl in a crowded room and just know.. know that this is it; she is the one. Is it truly how that works? Is that truly love?

Because this is how I know love.

It's the loud and obnoxious laughter of his as he tries to put a smile on me; joking around like little kids. It's the breathtaking glint in his chocolate brown orbs as he stared me down with all the adoration and love he could muster in his beating heart. It's the encouraging words he whispers in my ear when the tears won't stop. It's the care and the softness in them even when we disagree or annoy the hell out of each other. It's the warmth of his presence alone... it's him. It's him in his plain old shirts and shorts; it's him with his hair gelled back to perfection and his ravishing cologne that could always make me weak in the knees. It's him. It's him in every sense of the word---

But it's also me. It's me waking up every morning and pushing through. It's me working out to better myself. It's me smiling myself in the mirror regardless of the messy hair and stinky morning breath. It's me being aware of all my flaws and yet loving them because that's what builds me.

You see I never thought I deserved the kind of love I had grown up watching on screen. The kind of love that makes the whole world stop because two souls finally found their better halves. Completing them. I never believed the idea of it all. It's all just a fairy tale. But hypocritically of me for wanting still to have some sort of love like that. However as he got off his clean white car and smiled my way, holding a bouquet of flowers written with my name on it, and his heart on his sleeves for me to take.. I knew I didn't need some sort of happily-ever-after. I needed a reality check. A love that was genuine. One that will stood the test of time.. one that won't turn its back on me when the whole world already has. One that will assure me that everything will be alright, just take my hand and let me show you. One that built a home for me to shelter in.

One that includes him and myself... whether it means separately or together.