Love is long lost.

Love is a foreign concept, to some,

And a lost art to most.

Then the question remains

What is love?

Love comes in various forms

Whether they be big, small,

Temporary, forever-lasting,

On sight, built with time.

Love is neither good nor bad.

It’s an overall experience.

And here’s a common misconception:

“Love is strictly for romance!”

If that’s the case, then what was that feeling you felt

When you met your best friend?

Got your first pet?

Realized you had stronger feelings for someone you adored?

Newsflash: that is more than likely, love.

What is Love?

Love is…

Feeling a spark run through you when your eyes meet theirs

Getting goosebumps when they express their admiration for you

Having your stomach fill to the brim with butterflies just by being around them

Laughing together till your stomach hurts when you share your collection of inside jokes

Love is

Commitment

Respect

Loyalty

Dependability

Understanding

Encouraging

Caring

Alternatively, there are people who know of love,

But have a twisted conception of it

Or disrespect it altogether.

Nowadays, people fear of being alone forever-

So much so that they feel the need to fill the void

And declare they are

“So very in love!”

Was it love when

Your partner put you in a position of choosing between them or yourself?

Your friend dumped you after many years “just because?”

The ones you love cause many years of regret and pain?

That is not love.

It is not love when…

A loved one tears you down just because they “prefer you without makeup”

You feel like your heart is slowly withering away each time they appear

You are scared for your mental, emotional, and physical health when they stroll into the room

Love is not

Abusive

Neglectful

Peer-pressuring

Dishonest

Domineering

Patronizing

Surly

Love is like medicine

With just the perfect dose, it can heal your wounds

But take too much, you become addicted, and can end up fatally ill because of it.