With Valentine’s Day being this past week, love is on the brain. Roses and chocolates line the shelves of every store. Though this holiday is traditionally celebrated to honor romantic love, I typically take February 14th to celebrate all of the people I love in my life- and this is mainly platonic. When you look at all of the instances of love in your life, you’ll realize truly how loved and cherished you are. Here are my favorite snippets of love I am lucky enough to receive daily:
My parents
My parents were the first people who loved me. They are undoubtedly the most influential people in my life, and they lead by the way they love. One of the most important lessons my brother and I learned from my parents was love. My mother and father are the most loving people I know. They freely give love to strangers, friends and family without anything in return.
My roommate
I hope everyone gets to experience the bond I have with my roommate Delainey at least once in their lifetime. There is nothing I love more than coming home to my best friend each night. Whether we are animatedly re-hashing the events of the day, grabbing food together or just enjoying each other’s company in silence, the energy in our room is full of love. The people you live with can make the biggest difference. I am forever grateful for my relationship with Delainey. It has brought me an abundance of love, happiness and fulfillment.
My brother
Brother-sister love is a category of its own. It’s a complex relationship, but me and my brother have only gotten closer with age. My younger brother David means the world to me. Even though our childhood came with its fair share of bickering, David is now my go-to for advice, shared fashion and music recommendations. I cannot wait to see how he grows and evolves.
professors
This one may seem odd; hear me out. I believe it’s part of the small school charm of St. Bonaventure University in that I experience a unique form of love from my professors here. It is found in their warm smiles, compassion and accessibility to help their students. Their doors and hearts are always open to students, even when it’s inconvenient for them.
Strangers
One of my favorite and often overlooked sources of love is from strangers. All of the people we now love were once strangers. Some of my favorite smiles and compliments received have been from people I didn’t know. In my life, I try to be friendly and warm to each face I see and pay forward the love countless strangers have shown me.
my dog
If you have a dog, you know just how precious their love is. My dog Max has been by my side since third grade. Dogs see you at your best and worst, giving you unconditional love regardless. This might be my favorite contender on the list.