The truth is, some people do not know how to be loved. They don't know how to take the swell of emotions, they don't know how to handle being on the receiving end of love. This idea runs shivers down their spine. The idea of being the object, the loved, not the lover. Some people don't know how to view themselves as lovable despite possibly having all the love in the world to give. It is quite ironic actually.

As humans, we thrive for connection, for intimacy. Building relationships with people are basic human nature yet we dream up this fantasy that cannot possibly come to fruition. It becomes this expectation of what love is supposed to look like. In reality, it is whatever you want it to look like. It is with one person in a moment and multiple people in a lifetime. One love does not negate another. This unrealistic fantasy that love is intangible, unseen by the naked eye, is what makes people run from it. It is what makes them think this is too good to be true.

In the face of emotion, built up to be so surreal, they will question: who am I to deserve this? As a human who wakes up to the same sun and falls asleep to the same moon as nearly 8 billion other people, who am I to deserve this and what if I end up heartbroken? The answer is quite literally within the depiction of self-doubt. As a human, yes, built of the same material as 8 billion other people, you deserve the feeling. As for the heartbreak, you're in luck because since there are (as I've mentioned) 8 billion other hearts out there, you are bound to get over it.

So, throw away the fantasy, ditch the expectations and take it for what it is. A word. It is just a word. Now, take it from as many people as you can and give it back to even more. Cherish it and lose it. Hold on to it when it's here and know when to let it go. Stop denying yourself a basic human connection because of fear. Whether it is fear of the feeling itself or the potential for tragedy when it leaves, allow yourself to indulge in the 'L word.'