Unrequited Love

Strange title eh?

Well, watch yourself. This here is a topic close to my heart. Since coming to college I have found myself with endless possibilities on who I want to be. I could remain closed and shy or I could finally get up from my behind and "live the life that I was meant to live." I know, highly cliche, but it is true. For most of my life, I was too afraid to talk to anyone without them approaching me first, let alone that for romantic purposes. So when forming my new identity, the first question that came into play was if I was ready to be "out there." It is safe to say that I still can't get over my fear of formulating a cohesive sentence with anyone that I fancy... I've tried. As for making friends and introducing myself, I seem to have better luck.

Given this slight roadblock, I have been unable to "catch one". Maybe if I didn't refer to any potential significant others in the way then I would. No fear! My excitement for existing and willingness to explore the unknown hasn't ceased yet, nor do I think it will.

To whomever this concerns, just because you can't seem to catch a break with your love life doesn't mean that it is the most important issue in your life. I've had to keep reminding myself that romance is just another byproduct of living. If anything, one must care most affectionately about love. Love is the essence of our beings . From our romantic flings to our friendships, Love flows from our very existence.

It, however, can cause us terrible pain. That is where unrequited love comes in. We can love people with all of our soul, but sometimes it is not reiterated, and that's okay. I believe that those moments happen in our lives to remind us that our hearts are still mortal.

Media, people, and expectations have built up love into something that it is not. Everyone puts so much emphasis on being in a relationship or having the "perfect" friendship that we have forgotten the importance of these connections. They claim that sometimes it will be one-sided or it is the other person's fault for not falling for you. Let me set it straight my dear friend, this is not the truth. No one is forced to love anyone. Love is not implied towards an attracted emotion or a specific genetic code. Instead, it is grown. Like you chose to grow a tree or not. Just because someone gives you a seed doesn't mean you are obligated to water it. Like trust, love is grown. We're taught as children to love all people and we should. But to love deeply is something else. We throw around this four letter word as if it an informal greeting or a phrase of slight endearment but we shouldn't belittle our ability to affect others by our words because we have become so accustom to it. People may not love us because they are afraid to or just simply don't.

It is okay.

We should love. We should love wholeheartedly, deeply, spontaneously, crazily, and heavily. We are creatures of love, so my dear reader. Don't be afraid to take the chance to live. Go out and admit to someone today that you like them or you are in love, but do it sincerely. It's okay if the answer is not what you expect. But above all else respect the emotion that is love. Don't throw it around or play with it like a friend. Give it the honor that it deserves. Love can be unrequited, but it can also be reciprocated and absolutely beautiful.