I often hear people say love is easy, and inasmuch as I agree, I also disagree. Do you ever wonder why we love our family so much? Not even our friends. Let’s just focus on family. If you have a brother or a sister, a mother or father, and you love them so much, one thing is clear. You have no choice. I know you are probably in a hurry to disagree, but think of it like this.
We all come from families. Families we didn’t choose to be born into. I’m sure if we had the chance to choose our families, some people wouldn’t be with the people they are today. I actually had a colleague in high school who used to always say that she wished that one day, they would call her to the headmistress’ office. Not because she was in trouble but because her real mom has come looking for her.
So in her head, her mom wasn’t enough, especially financially, and she just wished a richer person, probably not in Ghana, would resurface from nowhere to tell the story of how she left her somewhere or how she got lost.
You see, you are quick to say she doesn’t love her mom? She actually does, and what I’m saying is she actually has no choice but to love her mom whether she’s poor or rich.
That’s how loving a family works. It’s easier to just love your dad because no matter what you do, he’ll always be your dad, and you are not going to get another dad anywhere. I’m not saying it’s compulsory to love him. I’m saying it’s easier, and there’s a big difference. It’s easier for a mom to love her stubborn son whether she agrees with his lifestyle or not.
When it comes to romantic relationships, it’s hard. Oh trust me, it’s so hard. I’m fortunate to have been in love and to have been loved before. It’s always hard. This time, you have a choice to love someone despite their flaws or just go be with another person. I know I’ve said a lot of times that it is a hard thing to do, but allow me to repeat it because it is!
As they always say, there are plenty of fish in the sea, so choosing to live on one particular fish despite how much they annoy you? You can’t tell me that is easy. I know a couple who have been together for 30 years, and each year during their anniversary, one thing they always say is, "Marriage is work." Not just any work, pure hard work. And trust me, I do believe that.
But one thing I know is that beyond how hard it is, there’s also a reward: peace. When you love someone, it’s not going to be easy, but being with them, you find peace and joy and that how you get through those hard moments together. It’s even better when that person understands you, and to me, that’s what love is about.
Images are mine