Written by Laura Sofia H. Perilla

We have always been accustomed to believe that love is both the most beautiful and powerful possession that one can manifest. Despite how the world breeds a new variant of barbarity almost every single day, mankind persists to defend and build space for love to grow – be it romantic, platonic, or storgic. From childhood, we were endorsed of the nature of love through affirmative language and through the presence of physical affection – being cradled in the arms of an adult as they sing us slow and tired lullabies that make the stars sway with the rhythm as heartbeats sync as one. Still, there is no absolute definition of the word in spite of its universality. Though the MacMillan Dictionary may have mentioned that it pertains to something or someone enjoyable with which you develop emotional and sexual attachments, and albeit the Merriam-Webster Dictionary may have illustrated it as a strong desire of admiration resulting from relationships, these definitions are short of the passionate embrace that love permits us to feel and in return grant for others as well.

There is, though, a grotesque belief that some people consider when dwelling on the idea of love. There’s this default mindset that relationships pave the way for sculpting our identities, as if finding themselves a significant other – or even just a faithful companion – is a prerequisite to venture out on their own path and only then will they anticipate the glory that lies ahead in their lives. This, as much as it is difficult to believe, is true and prevalent. Some in consciousness and some in oblivious conditions. Either way, human worth seems to be dictated according to relationships in the name of love. The belief of holding yourself responsible for crafting your personality, your mannerisms, your language, your life is slowly becoming a tale. Why may that be? It might be because we have inadequate trust in ourselves to deem ourselves enough of calculating and composing our unfiltered worth by our own terms. In brief, we lack the love we give to others wholeheartedly to ourselves.

In this season of love, there is nothing more profound than allowing yourself to credit yourself the love you deserve by none other than you. As we are all currently going through historical events as we know it, now is the best time to rely on yourself, more than others, to be responsible for your confidence, and to be the only person in your life to measure your worth.

Love, whatever it means to you, is nothing but fleeting. Sometimes it saves, sometimes it betrays. However, let it resonate: love starts and ends with yourself. Only then will it be the most beautiful and powerful possession you have.