These past few months have taught me so much about love. Not necessarily romantic love, but just love in general. The love that we give to our family, our friends and our peers; it's all so important and so deep. Sometimes we lose sight of how much of an effect just the smallest act of love can have on someone. I've learned that simply sitting with someone and having a conversation with them is an act of love. Holding the door for someone is an act of love. Sending an encouraging text message or just one simple phone call is such a huge act of love. So many times we are intimidated by the fact that someone can actually genuinely love us. We are scared of vulnerability and do whatever we can to prevent ourselves from becoming vulnerable and opening ourselves into the hands of someone else. We are terrified of someone having access to the depths of our soul and taking advantage of it. The truth is, being vulnerable and allowing someone to get to know us for the crevices of our hearts and who we truly are is one of the most beautiful things anyone could ever experience. In allowing someone to see who we truly are, it's like we're giving them a microscope to look at all of the tiny little details that they wouldn't see just my looking at them. The most beautiful part about the whole process is that there will be people who will see all of these details and love us anyway. That's the beauty of it all. Through all of our mistakes and all of our flaws, there will be people who will love us despite of it all.
It reminds me of how many people I know who have "trust issues." So many people are quick to put up a barrier when it comes to sharing anything personal or letting someone know them because they don't want to trust them. I've struggled with it myself, and I've learned that with discretion we can see who is genuine with wanting to know us and who simply wants to know information for the sake of knowing it, not because they genuinely care. I've learned that letting people into my heart isn't as scary as I made it out to be. Having "trust issues" was my excuse for being closed off and not being vulnerable. Why? Because I didn't want anyone to see my deepest fears or the secrets that I may have. One of the greatest feelings, though, is knowing that I'm loved despite all of those fears and all of my imperfections.
I'll never understand why I'm loved. By my God, my family, my closest friends. I'll never be worthy of their love and I'll never be able to comprehend the complexity of the love that God has for me, but I'm so grateful. I'm so blessed and so thankful for the love that keeps me going. I truly believe that love can change lives. Love can change the world. Love conquers ALL things. I've seen it up close and felt it and nothing will ever be able to change my mind. In my times of weakness and my struggles and my trials, it is the LOVE that I'm surrounded with that keeps me strong. It is the love that is poured out on me that helps me get back on my feet to continue this journey that God has for me. Yes, I fall. Yes, I make mistakes. Yes, I stumble. Yes, I fail God every single day, but I'm still loved. & THAT is what I'm living for. I strive to show that love to the world. I strive to show the world that with love, anything is possible. I'm not perfect and I will never be perfect, but my heart is filled with love and I know that I'm called to share it with all of the people I may encounter.
Life is too short to do anything but love. Life is to short to be anything but happy. Life is too short to live with regrets. So, for the rest of my days I strive to show the world that even through the hardest of storms and darkest of days, there is and there will always be love.