People are always trying to find that perfect relationship; someone to share their life with, a person to love who loves them back. Sometimes we get so consumed in finding a partner that we forget about the people who already care so much about us. Sometimes we become so desperate to be in a relationship that we fail to accept that love is already around us, in abundance.

Yes, the goal for some people is to find their soul mate, get married, settled down, and start a life but what if we stopped trying so hard to make things happen and instead just focused on all the people who already love us? Stop for a second and count the people who you know love you. If you can count that number on one hand then you are blessed, if you can count those people on two hands then you are lucky.

The people who love you don’t have to be significant others. There are many people who love each other in a completely non-sexual way but who would do anything for each other. Love is about respect, about wanting that person to be happy, and knowing you would do whatever it took to help them out if they needed a hand. That’s what love is.

Love is family: The mother who protects her kids from the cold when they venture out in the winter. The father who picks up his teenager from a party at 2:00am when she’s in trouble. The sisters who have grown so close in adulthood that they now consider themselves best friends. The brother who would beat up anyone who hurt one of his siblings. Even pets have an unwavering love for their owners.

Love is friendship: The friends who have known each other since kindergarten and have been by each others’ sides through it all. The friends who met in high school and stuck by each other despite rumours and drama. The friends who met in university and who hardly see each other anymore but are still there for moral support during tough times. The friends who met as adults and connected instantly. These are the people who respect you, who care for you, and who want to see you happy. These people love you.

We don’t always tell the ones we love how much they mean to us so it’s no wonder we sometimes forget  how loved we really are. This is why sometimes people long for a relationship so badly, to find the love they think they are missing. In reality, love is never absent if you care for people and they care for you back.

So, if you are desperately seeking a relationship stop for a second and realize how much love you already have in your life. Then take a look in the mirror and understand that no matter how many people may love you, you will never feel complete until you love yourself, as well. So wake up and understand that you are an amazing person with so much to offer. Love yourself, know that others love you, and if you find a partner who respects you and wants to make you happy then that’s the bonus. Just don’t rely on it for your happiness. You are already so, so loved and you should remind yourself of it daily.

Love to all my supporters,
The Love Hawk

Shannon loves love. She has a passion for people and understanding the little things that make everyone unique and similar, all at the same time. She has degrees in Communication Studies, Psychology, and Broadcast Journalism but it’s the school of life that taught Shannon most of what she knows about love and relationships.

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