All is Fair in Love and War: A Letter For The Longing
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
If I were to describe myself, I would say I am water. I fill empty hearts of varying shapes and sizes and warm them once I am settled. On burning days, when the heart is incredibly tender and in pain, I become a small, evaporated hand- a derivative of what once was- and wipe watery cheeks. To myself, I am water. To you, I am Love.
Love is quite complicated, but for that, I will not apologize. To love is to invite heartbreak. It burns in the best and worst ways, is reduced to ashes, and swept up by the wind with the same gentle brush like that of a young lover’s touch. Love is also constricting. By this I mean it leaves you breathless, makes you gasp in surprise and aching desire.
Do you desire words of affection? Yearn for a simple whisper of “I love you” to get you through the day? An open line of communication between yourself and your partner can be beautiful, yet ugly. Be cautious. Words that are held to the highest honor also cut the deepest. Strong words can be both loving and hateful. As Love, I prefer the former.
For others, actions speak louder than words. They are visible; you can see them, touch them, taste them. Do you appreciate the little things, like breakfast in bed or a clean apartment after a long day’s work? A note here and there that both shows and voices the true, undeniable blanket that is your love? Can you sit in silence on a nicely made bed, knowing that you lay comfortably on an act of service itself?
Lovers, do not brand yourself as materialistic- you are anything but. You like receiving gifts, maybe you prefer giving. You do not need towers of gold or a feast fit for kings. You want your heart to melt when a homemade gift finds itself in your hands. You want to blink away the tears to water your favorite flowers. It is not what is given to you that surprises you, but the reminder that you are constantly being thought of.
Vulnerable. Broken. You feel these things when quality time is ignored. You enjoy going on adventures, very mindless adventures where the only thing on your mind is the person beside you. You are not dependent on your partner, you just want to go to the movies with them. Eyes glued to the screen in curious wonder while you wonder what your future will look like together.
If there is a future, you crave one another’s touch- mentally, physically, lovingly. It is all you need and all you want. You love walking through fields with your hand in your partner’s, your love bound to the endlessness of the horizon in front of you. You enjoy each other’s closeness, being tied together by a rope of endless possibilities- and that is enough.
Sometimes you will not want to listen. The dialects are too confusing and your heart has burned too often. Your skin tears into scars with every lonely realization and soon your body feels used. But listen for yourself. When the languages are not enough and you find yourself craving one another's touch or a whisper of affectionate words, find comfort in knowing what you desire. In knowing yourself.
Find relief in appreciating your love language.
Strike Out,
Writer: Nina Rueda
Content Editor: Melissa Donovan
Copy Editor: Reanna Haase
Orlando
Nina Rueda is a content writer for Strike Magazine Orlando. An undeniable Capricorn and Sabrina Carpenter stan, Nina enjoys thrifting, writing ‘in her feels’ poetry, and doing impulsive photoshoots. You can reach her at ninaroody22@gmail.com or @ninaruedaa on Instagram!