Maybe Love Is Not What You Need

We live in a world where love sells.

Young adult fiction is one of the best-selling genres of books. Romantic comedies are widely watched and appreciated.

Love is dreamed about. Love is chased.

Love completes.

This obsession with love is the reason why it is important to remember something while we set about this relentless pursuit: maybe love is what you want but not what you need.

What do you need if not love?

Maybe forgiveness is what you need.

To forgive not just those who wronged you or broke your heart but also yourself for trusting and loving them. To tell yourself that you did the best you could with the knowledge you had.

Maybe peace is what you need.

To not lie awake and wonder if your life would have turned out differently if you had done certain things differently. To accept your past by not beating yourself up over the mistakes you made.

Maybe healing is what you need.

To heal not just from physical wounds but also emotional ones. To let go of your trauma by unlearning toxic behaviors that are detrimental for your well-being.

Maybe virtue is what you need.

To swallow your pain instead of inflicting it on others. To stay soft and vulnerable in a world that tries every day to harden you.

Maybe kindness is what you need.

To treat those people with respect who can do nothing for you. To smile at a random stranger across the street because you do not know whose day it might light or whose burden it might ease.

Maybe empathy is what you need.

To sit with a friend and listen to what hurts without offering advice. To step in their shoes and walk in them without experiencing what they have.

Maybe comprehension is what you need.

To understand not just the journey you are on but also the reason why you have to undertake it. To understand that every loss you have suffered and every lesson you have learned along your path will ultimately lead you to your destination.

Maybe wisdom is what you need.

To realize you know nothing so you can end up knowing everything. To allow yourself to make mistakes so you can learn from them.

Maybe hope is what you need.

To believe that hope is a good thing and no good thing ever dies. To receive help and goodness from the unlikeliest sources during the most difficult times.

Maybe spirituality is what you need.

To believe in something bigger than yourself. To feel that you are not alone on nights when it feels like your heart might shatter from the unbearable pain of existence.

Maybe gratitude is what you need.

To count your blessings instead of counting your misfortunes. To be thankful for the opportunity every day to change your life for the better.

Maybe happiness is what you need.

To realize that happiness is not a destination but a journey. To find joy in the little pleasures of life instead of chasing something big on the horizon which seems to get further away the more you chase it.

Maybe success is what you need.

To follow your passions and share your gifts with the world. To have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of people.

Maybe a legacy is what you need.

To be remembered as someone who added value to the lives of those they touched. To serve humanity in some capacity even when you are no longer here.

Maybe YOU are what you need.

You were complete before they broke your heart or before you ended up with the love of your life. You will be complete after you have stitched your heart back together or suffered separation or bereavement.

I hope you learn an important lesson once you have everything you need: salvation lies within, and so does love.