When I was younger, I believed love was something magical. It was the butterflies in the stomach, the late-night conversations, the songs that suddenly made sense, and the fairytale endings we saw in movies. Most romantic movies ended happily, and that influenced me deeply. I still remember how we avoided watching kissing or romantic scenes in front of our parents because they strictly disapproved of them. Perhaps that mystery and curiosity also shaped my early ideas about love and slowly pulled me toward wanting to experience it for myself.
As I grew older, however, I began to understand that love is not just a dreamy feeling. It is a powerful experience – one that changes you in ways you never expect.
The first time love became real to me, it was no longer about fantasy. It was about caring deeply for someone’s happiness, sometimes even more than my own. I realized how love could make ordinary days feel special. A simple message could brighten an entire day and a small memory could stay in the heart forever. Without grand gestures, love had the ability to make life feel meaningful.
Through this experience, love slowly started shaping me as a person. It made me more patient and more understanding. I learned that a partner also has emotions and silent needs. Often, men too like to be cared for gently, like children, though they rarely express it. Love taught me how to listen, how to understand without judging, and how to give without expecting anything in return. Psychologists say love increases happiness and motivation, and I truly experienced this transformation. Without realizing it, I was becoming a better version of myself.
However, as beautiful as love felt, I eventually discovered that no one really speaks about its other side.
No one teaches us how to handle the pain when love does not go as planned – when expectations fail, when silence replaces conversations, and when distance replaces closeness. That was the moment I understood that love can hurt just as deeply as it can heal.
Heartbreak is a strange feeling. It is invisible to others but unbearably heavy within. Scientists say that emotional pain affects the brain in the same way as physical pain and I found this to be true. The heart feels heavy, the mind feels restless, and memories feel louder than reality.
Yet, within that pain, I learned some of the greatest lessons of my life.
Heartbreak taught me self-worth. It showed me that love is not possession and that sometimes letting go is also an act of love. I learned emotional maturity. I understood that not every love story is meant to last, but every love story is meant to teach us something important.
Because of these experiences, my definition of love slowly began to change.
Love was no longer about constant excitement or endless conversations. It became about emotional peace and mutual respect. I realized that real love is not about needing someone to complete you, but about valuing someone while being complete on your own. Over time, love taught me how to stay silent in certain situations, how to read my partner’s expressions without words and how to treat them as an equal.
Love did not give me the fairytale I once imagined, but it gave me something far more valuable understanding. It taught me how to care deeply, how to endure pain quietly, and how to grow without losing myself. Through love and heartbreak, I discovered patience, self-worth, and emotional strength. Today, I no longer see love as butterflies or perfect endings. I see it as a journey that shapes the soul, teaches silent lessons and helps us become better humans. Love may not always stay in our lives, but the lessons it leaves behind stay with us forever.
Written By: –
Rtr. Ilaxshana Rajeshkanth
(Junior Blog Team Member 2025-26)
Design By: –
Rtr. Kawindra Wickramasinghe
(Junior Blog Team Member 2025-26)
