Living and Loving
Falling in love is so much sweeter when you're a kid.
See, kids in love
Know how to express themselves.
They pick flowers,
Write innocent letters,
And make origami swans
To offer each other.
They know how to show respect.
They hold hands
And give shy hugs
That aren't too personal
But just enough to say
"You're more than just my friend."
They know commitment.
They never tire of blushing
From a single look across the room
And they always choose
The same person to sit next to.
See, falling in love is hard when you're older.
There's the real world to think about:
Do you really picture a future with this person?
Do you love them enough to marry them?
To live with them?
Have a family with them?
Would you sacrifice what you have now
For the possibilities loving them has to offer?
But when you take a chance and believe,
When you take a leap and commit,
It will always be worth it
Because the universal, lifelong search for the One
Will have been completed.
See, I was a high school Senior
When I first fell in love.
I was too old to enjoy the innocence of young love
Yet too young to know the hardships of true love.
See, I tried to fool myself
That gifts made from the heart
Rather than bought from the store
Were enough to express mutual interest.
So when they came less often,
I tried to fool myself that love
Was more than just gifts;
After all, they can't compare to actions.
So when I felt him grow more distant
I tried to fool myself that he
Was only preparing for the hardships of college;
It's only right that I respect that.
But when he left altogether,
Without a single goodbye or explanation,
I knew then that I had been a fool all along.
I was naive to think
We were young enough to have a cute love
And yet old enough to have a true love.
Because you can't have the best of both worlds.
See, that's when I realized I wasn't a kid anymore.
I couldn't have the Happily Ever After
I grew up reading about.
I couldn't have the cute gifts and notes
That young love was made of
Because it wouldn't be enough.
That's when I realized
That puppy love isn't strong enough.
That's when I realized
There's more to it than fairy tale souvenirs.
But see, I learned something from that realization.
I learned that when love is true,
It's not just gifts and words
But actions and sacrifices.
I learned that when love is true,
It overcomes any obstacle.
I learned that when love is true,
It's worth the pain.
See, I may have gone through heartache
But I learned what it really means to love.