Despite the silly/sarcastic/playfully-bitter-yet-ultimately-encouraging nature of the wallpaper graphic at the bottom of this post, I just need to share this wonderful quote about the love sentiment that I find completely appealing:

The truth is that the more intimately you know someone, the more clearly you’ll see their flaws. That’s just the way it is. This is why marriages fail, why children are abandoned, why friendships don’t last. You might think you love someone until you see the way they act when they’re out of money or under pressure or hungry, for goodness’ sake. Love is something different. Love is choosing to serve someone and be with someone in spite of their filthy heart. Love is patient and kind, love is deliberate. Love is hard. Love is pain and sacrifice, it’s seeing the darkness in another person and defying the impulse to jump ship.

Unfortunately, no one can attribute this quote directly to any author. I love the raw honesty: the emotion, the pain, the vulnerability. Loving anyone is a messy endeavor, and a romantic relationship holds direct insight into the error of one’s ways: all faults, failures and insecurities; it’s as if your partner is holding a mirror up and you’re staring back at yourself for exactly who you are. At times, that can be a daunting, scary, overwhelming reflection.

You know you’ve found a quality person when your reflection is marred in some way and they’ve chosen to stick around and grow with you, as you both evolve in character. Love is truly wonderful. I’m an advocate for it. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that no one comes without baggage, myself included, and it’s worth waiting for the right person to help us unpack all our shit (I think that too is another well-known quote).

Here are a few things I’ve learned over the course of my time, in regards to love:

1. Don’t try to change people. If you date someone, love them for who they already are
2. If you see red flags, disqualify immediately
3. Grow with one another. Play! Have fun! Bond in new-to-you-both experiences
4. During a fight, don’t say anything you’ll regret. Withdraw for a time and resolve later
5. Men just want to problem-solve. Women just want to vent
6. Men really aren’t that difficult to understand. Ladies, don’t read between the lines; take words at face-value
7. When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time (thanks, Maya Angelou!)
8. When it’s true love, both partners feel as if they’ve gotten the better end of the deal


NOW! Download this graphic as a desktop wallpaper by right-clicking, or simply drag to your desktop to save.