How do we find joy in life? How do we retain the precious memories of when our dog was a puppy, nibbling on your toes wherever you went? How do we remember the look on our mom’s face after each homemade birthday gift?

These moments get lost in a mess of stupid teenage drama and I don’t know about you but if I had to choose between high school drama and the things that matter 20 years from now, I know which i’m choosing.

Love is a one-of-a-kind feeling; it’s the experience that leads you to lose your mind. You know that feeling when the world stops moving and nothing else matters but what’s happening right in front of you? That feeling when the song is so good that you get goosebumps and chills up your spine. That song later goes on to be played about a million times.

Of course, love is not always this obvious. when your mom calls you non-stop throughout the night to make sure you’re still alive and of course making good decisions. When you’re sick and your dad refills your tea cup with chamomile every few hours. When mom is always there for 9 pm pickups from practice in her pajamas internally pissed off but still puts a smile on her face asking you how your day was. When you get your license and consistently get told to wear your seatbelt. When you get that big hug from your grandparents when you go and visit them.

The act of loving one another is important. It can hurt, but it can also be a one-of-a-kind experience. If you were to look at the idea of love throughout many years it’s everywhere. It is what shapes movies, (my personal favorite is The Notebook). Even Shakespeare couldn’t resist writing on the topic if we take a look at Romeo and Juliet, Romeo killed himself so he could be with his true love. Now that shows the real power love holds over people.

How do self-love and self-care make us better people? If you have a hard day, clearly in a bad mood, what do you do to calm yourself? Some people like to be alone, some don’t. You might want to get home and lay in bed the rest of the night doing absolutely nothing. However,if you choose to express your form of self-love just know that it is important. A saying reads “We accept the love we deserve’’, and honestly it’s true even if you don’t realize it, everything we do for each other. When we cook dinner for the person we adore most in the world, when we allow someone to see and hear everything about us. The songs that we play that remind us of how we feel around someone. Love is everywhere, love is kind, love is hurtful, and love is you.