Via Justine De Fant

Challenge Day 5: How You Know You Love Someone

You know you love someone when…

They send you a link to a video they want you to watch and you actually watch the whole thing

They can lay any part of their limb or body on top of any surface of yours and you let them. You even enjoy it.

Their mood affects yours. When they’re sad, you feel it as if it’s your own pain.

The need to tell them you love them is so strong that sometimes it just slips out.

The same flaws that usually turn you off to other people have no affect on your feelings for them.

You offer them the last french fry.

You let them get away with a lot of shit.

You can talk for hours without a moment of awkward silence.

You get disappointed when the notification on your phone isn’t from them.

You let them change the radio station without them having to ask.

You’re at Taco Bell with only $5 to your name, yet you still ask them if they want anything.

You would take the time to cut the ends of their sandwich because you know they don’t like the crust.

You want all your friends and family to like them so you boost them whenever you talk about them.

You hear good music and they’re the first person you want to share it with.

You find a good restaurant and they’re the first person you want to bring.

You experience something amazing and they’re the first person you want to tell.

You remember all the little things without making a conscious effort to.

You would drive at 3 a.m. to rescue them from any situation, but really you’re just happy you get to see them.

You see something that reminds you of them and instantly feel some sort of contentment that they’re in your mind once again.

You miss them even when they’re right next to you.

You want to forgive them even while you’re angry at them.

You look at them and you want them for more than the moment. You think long-term.

You want to give them your best and nothing short of that will do.

You know they’re changing you, but you let them because when they love you back, it’s always for the better.

This was definitely the most challenging prompt for me to write thus far. In fact, imagine an expert in love and then think of the complete opposite of that person. That’s who I would be.  But I can’t pretend I’ve never felt it before. I love my family, my dad, my mom, my closest friends and I’ve loved people I’ve been in intimate relationships with. I have loved fully and passionately and softly. My problem is not that I don’t know what love is or what it feels like. My problem is that I can’t say it out loud. Because actually saying it out loud is very much like giving a part of yourself to a person and trusting them with it. And trust does not always come easy to me.

So while I haven’t always said it out loud, I knew I felt it.

How do you know you love someone?