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A Love Letter To Love Itself: 7 Reminders It’s Everywhere

Tyvla Abidin Student Contributor, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If you asked me to tell you what love is, I probably wouldn’t be able to find the words to describe it. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is or even what causes it. But more so than not, it leaves you enraptured. 

It’s in the people who stay and the memories we make. The more I pay attention, the more I realize that love is everywhere. It’s the steady foundation of everything that moves in our lives, and I’ve noticed seven ways it shows up in life. 

In the Stories We Adore

The movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the books we read all have a promise of happily-ever-after. Though real love isn’t as simple as the fairytales, they mirror what love can be — messy and magical.

Even now, a part of me is still holding out for a whole marching band performance as a declaration of undying love. Sure, it’s unrealistic, but that’s the fun part of romance. You always believe that somehow, it’ll show up and surprise you.

In Your Family

The first place you learn of love is always in the small, steady gestures that never call attention to themselves. It’s your dad coming home with your favorite snacks because you mentioned liking them, and it’s your mom texting you to bring a jacket when it’s cold out. 

It can be imperfect and complicated, but it’s also reliable. Before you knew how to name the feeling, there would be people who showed you care when you needed it. It’s a presence that reminds you of where you come from — soft and enduring.

In Your Grandparents

I still remember being a kid, sitting on my grandma’s cream couch, and the only question I’d ask her, time and time again, was: “How did you two meet?” She’d tell me their stories in captivating detail — the first moments and the small gestures that grew into a life together. And hearing them, I’d say to myself: Someday I’ll find this.

This love is small, slow, and patient. It’s built brick-by-brick, even when it got hard. Their stories make love feel timeless. It tells you that love can survive distance, grief, and change. Sometimes the world feels like it’s on a zip line, but their love is a reminder that, as simple as it is, it is steady.

In Your Passions

I grew up loving to write. Putting pen to paper always felt like opening a tiny window into myself. I could turn any emotion, as confusing or daunting or scary, into something manageable. There’s no better feeling than learning something that can light you up from the inside, then dedicating yourself to showing it to the world.

Whether it’s the hobbies we keep returning to or the dreams that tug at us, when we pour ourselves into something because it brings us joy, we’re reminded that love isn’t just something we receive but also in what we choose to create.

In Romance

The older you get, the more you realize that love rarely arrives in dramatics. Instead, it often shows up quietly. It’s the little things about a person: how they remember your coffee order, walk you home to make sure you’re okay, or even steal a glance across the room. 

Sometimes it can feel tricky, but it’s also one of the most beautiful ways we learn to see and be seen. Even as the seasons change, love is like cozying up after a cold, harsh day. The intimacy you find in sharing your secrets and fears is just like how you can recognize someone’s voice from across a room. It may not be perfect, but it’s hopeful in how you can choose to learn to care for someone slowly. 

In Your Friends

Life can get turbulent and unpredictable, but friendship, when it’s true, is secure. You can argue, you can change, you can live on different schedules and only meet up once a year, but you know your friends will always be there to tell you the truth with care and kindness.

Whether it’s in unhinged advice or nearly undecipherable typos, the constancy in their shared strength will always bring you back to their effortless love.

In Yourself

We are the mold of everyone we love, and there’s no better feeling than choosing to love ourselves. When you decide to be on your own side or when you forgive yourself for old mistakes, you ground yourself in love.

What you give is what you receive, and when you’re able to show yourself care and kindness, it’s easier to see that love is everywhere you go.

Love is all around us, and we must see it for what it is — simple, yet endearing.

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Tyvla Abidin

U Mass Amherst '27

Tyvla is a Sophomore English and Journalism major at UMass who’s been writing ever since she can remember. In every way, it’s been a window into connection with the people around her or the things that interest her.

Beyond that, she loves going to the beach, listening to music, shopping and baking.