Love is patient
Image is mine
Love sure does mean different things to different folks, ain't no lie about that. Some view it as the most beautiful, magical force in the whole universe. Others see it as a real pain in the behind that just brings heartache and suffering. Me? I believe love is all about being patient, through and through.
See, from where I'm standing, real authentic love isn't some fleeting fairytale feeling that comes and goes. It sticks around even when times get super tough and ugly. Love has the powerful ability to push through any storm, bridge any gap, and wait out even the darkest of nights.
I watch couples around me crumble under the smallest conflicts or disagreements sometimes. The second any lil' issue pops up, they're ready to bounce out and call it quits like that fire has gone cold. But lasting love? That kind won't just dip out the moment those inevitable bumps in the road appear.
True love is patient enough to hunker down and work through the hard times together as a unified front. It sees the bigger picture instead of getting hung up on temporary problems. Love embraces the mindset of "we'll get through this as long as we have each other" no matter how crazy life gets.
Image is mine
I mean, think about it - we all go through ups and downs in this journey called life. Finances get tight, stressful periods at work, family drama, you name it. But love sticks by your side when the world seems to be caving in around you. It provides that calm reassurance that this too shall pass if we just hold each other down.
That level of patience requires real mental toughness and resilience though. It's easy to bail the second somebody steps on your toes or fails to live up to some unrealistic expectation we set. But love chooses to extend grace in those moments. It bites its tongue, takes some deep breaths, and remembers that we're all imperfect human beings at the end of the day.
Love's patience also means having the wisdom to pick and choose which battles are truly worth fighting over. It lets the small, petty disagreements roll off its back instead of letting them spiral into some heated blowup. Love knows when to stand firm with self-respect, but also when to exercise some restraint for the greater good of the relationship.
I'm reminded of my grandparents who were married over sixty years before gramps passed. Now those two had been through it all together - good times, bad times, sickness, poverty, you name it. But that rock-solid love they shared gave them the patience to ride out any storm that tried to knock them off course.
Even in those final years when grandpa's health was failing, grandma just patiently cared for him like he was still the finest man she'd ever laid eyes on. She'd sit for hours gently rubbing his hand, reminiscing about the dreams and struggles that built their life partnership brick by brick. There was still that unwavering, patient love burning bright even as life's flame was dwindling.
To me, that's the purest, most inspiring display of love you could ever hope to witness in this world. Not some flashy social media highlight reel filled with carefully filtered snapshots. But that day-by-day, inch-by-inch demonstration of commitment, loyalty, and yes - above all else - patience.
So while the romantic poets and movies might sell us some grand fantasy about love being a whirlwind of fiery passion, intense desire, and mind-blowing chemistry - that isn't the real full picture in my eyes. Those momentary sparks burn hot for a second but fizzle out quick without patience stoking the coals.
Instead, I'll take the meaning of love prescribed by those wrinkled, calloused hands still clutched together after a lifetime's worth of storms faced side-by-side. The quiet power of patience that remains long after youthful fancies fade. The kind of love that says "No matter what, I'll go the distance with you" and really sticks to that promise through thick and thin.
Sure, patience might not have that same ruby-lipped, rose petal appeal as Hollywood's version of love. But unlike that flash-in-the-pan passion, its steadfast resilience is built to outlast any turmoil and endure until the very end. And in my book, that tenacious faithfulness and patience is what real love is truly all about.
Thank you for reading my post.
