LoVe

Being a young, single girl, the subject of love comes up a lot.

To be honest, I've never been in love. I've loved, had way too many broken hearts, but I've never been in love.

I've had guys tell me they love me. One told me after I broke up with him because he treated me badly. One told me after knowing me a month, during a make-out session. Was it you loved me, or the action?

So, what is love? What is it that we are all searching for?

I have really little/poor experience in romantic love. But I am fortunate enough to have lots of experience in all the other kinds of love.

To me, love is:

• Grandpa kneeling on one knee asking Grandma to be his wife for ever, into the Eternities, because he loves her that much.
• Grandpa making rock jewelry for all the girls, for every holiday. Getting my ruby ring fixed for me, when the stone fell out.
• Dad driving me 4 hours to Rexburg for my first year of college, then turning around the next day and driving 4 hours back to Provo because I had a meltdown when he went to leave, and driving 4 hours back to Rexburg the next day to drop me off for good, then turning right around and driving 4 hours back to Provo again. 
• Dad using all his hard earned savings to send his kids to school, so we can start life with a good education and not in debt.
• When I was driving to St. George to visit Grandma and Grandpa,  I was feeling a little sick and coughing a lot. I called Grandma to tell her when I'd arrive at the Condo. When I pulled into the condo late that night, Grandma had left some cough medicine on the counter with a note for me.
• The way Grandma always tries to feed us, makes our beds, does our laundry - all the things she can do to make us feel comfortable.
• Mom never spending any time or money on herself, but giving it all to her family.
• The amount she prays for her kids.
• Mikail never giving up on me, even though I never give her a reason not to.
• Camree's love poems.
• Taylor pulling me aside to talk to me about something important, even though it was awkward.
• McKenzie never taking off the BOB necklace I made her.
• A friend driving 3 hours to spend a weekend with me when I was going through something hard, even though I never asked him to.
• Samar calling and telling me she's been thinking about me a lot (analyzing me as only she can, having been my best friend for 10 years) and some of the things I struggle through, and wanting to discuss these things in depth so I can have a healthier outlook on life.

I've never been in love, romantically. But I am so lucky to have good examples of what love is. It isn't extravagant gifts or showy displays of affection.

Love is time. It is putting someone else above yourself. Thanks, family and friends, for filling my life with love, for showing me what it is.

Love,
Brittney