When we think of Valentine’s Day, our mind immediately thinks of love in terms of a relationship. While this is mostly what Valentine’s Day is geared toward, let’s not forget that it’s also for all of us to share the love with our friends and family! Take it from Lao Tzu
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
This quote reminds me we are able to find this strength and courage in loving family and also within our friends and significant others. In honor of spreading the love around, here’s my version of a “love lookbook” where I ask people what love means to them and share what it means to me.
1. Maddie & Tj
“Love means having someone that helps you write the sentences of your life. That doesn’t mean that every paragraph is a happy one or that it will be sad either, but loving someone gives you a driving force to move your story forward and to create one of your own together.” – Maddie Kjosa
2. Sabrina & Family
“Everything I’ve learned about love comes from my family, they’ve been the purest form of unconditional love I will ever know. My family just equates love. That’s how I’ve always viewed them.” – Sabrina Vega
3. Nicole & Self-Love
“To me, self-love is all about prioritizing. It could mean putting your mental health first, investing in your interests and passions, or even simply taking the time to remind yourself that you’re doing just fine. There’s so much I want to see and so much to be learned, and it has to start with you – so get out there and start investing yourself!” – Nicole Wills
4. Me & My Friends
Well, what does love mean to me? Love means feeling a sense of unconditional comfort and love within those that are always there for you. It means reciprocating each other’s love languages and understanding the other person in every circumstance. It’s amazing how you know those friendships that will stick and it’s all built off of a foundation of love.
This Valentine’s Day, remind yourself of all the places you’ve learned and found love. Once you’ve taken a journey through each place you’ve encountered that love, go share it with everyone you care about.
Images credited to Maddie Kjosa, Sabrina Vega, and Nicole Wills.