
Published: February 3, 2025
By: Michelle Hays
Love is one of the most powerful and elusive emotions humans experience. It sparks joy and inspiration but also brings heartache and challenge. The question, “Do you believe in love?” invites us to reflect deeply on our relationships, experiences, and how we connect with others.
From an early age, we develop our concept of love through fairytales, movies, and family dynamics. We see love depicted as the ultimate goal. How many times have we heard the phrase love conquers all? As children, we believe in romantic ideals, often shaped by the media, which portray love in a fantastical light. When we are young, we believe in fairytales with all the beautiful princesses and heroic princes. However, as we grow older, our understanding evolves, and we start to recognize that love isn’t always the perfect fairytale we may believe it is.
Love encompasses a unique set of emotions and experiences in each relationship. Love is often intense and exciting, filled with infatuation, desire, and longing. Remember the feelings you experienced when you were dating your partner? Love can be exhilarating; it often offers a sense of completeness or fulfillment. Love can also evoke insecurity and jealousy, revealing the complex nature of human relationships. Love can also reveal our imperfections and idiosyncrasies. Love isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be downright frustrating.
Yet, despite the pain, disappointment, and anger we experience in love, many still believe in its transformative power. I know I do.
But I didn’t always believe in love.
After experiencing two heart-wrenching divorces, I said, “I would never get married again.” But eventually, my heart softened, and the feeling of hope once again filled my heart, and that is when I met my third husband, Brian. Brian was also divorced. So, we decided never to hurt one another intentionally and to be willing to see each other with those eyes when challenges arise. We learned how to navigate the inevitable conflicts and challenges that occur in our lives. That’s what it takes to create the marriages and relationships we all want and deserve.
Love is real. If we allow it to, love has the uncanny ability to heal our wounds and offer us a sense of deep connection and satisfaction. When we understand love, we realize that love provides us with a safe harbor to express our vulnerabilities and find acceptance. When we cultivate that kind of love, we can thrive and find deep fulfillment and happiness amidst life’s never-ending challenges.
Numerous studies indicate that love and social connections contribute significantly to our psychological and physical well-being. People in loving relationships often experience reduced stress levels and improved emotional health. We live longer and have more fulfilling lives when we are married.
However, the reality is that love doesn’t always last forever. Relationships can end and hearts can break. The pain of lost love can feel insurmountable, leading some to question the very existence of love itself. Like Brian and me, many people experience heartbreak. Such experiences can lead to a jaded perspective, particularly when faced with betrayals or deep disappointments. It’s not uncommon to wonder if true love exists or if it’s merely an illusion we chase.
Love has the capacity for rebirth. Even after loss, people find the strength to open their hearts again — sometimes repeatedly. We all know people who have been married and divorced more than once. The cycle of love, with its beginnings, trials, and endings — creates the tapestry of our human experiences that is both beautiful and painful.
Do you believe in love? It may depend on your perspective, your experiences, and what you hope to find. Believing in love might mean learning to embrace its complexities—the joy of connection alongside the pain of vulnerability. It could also mean recognizing that love takes effort and commitment, not just emotions and feelings but actions, understanding, and commitment.
Love is not about finding a perfect partner or achieving a flawless relationship. (Newsflash! There are no ideal relationships!) Love is about the willingness to be open and vulnerable, to share ourselves with the people we love, and to grow alongside them. It’s about being present in all extraordinary and challenging moments and understanding that love is not stagnant but an ever-evolving force in our lives.
Our belief in love is subjective yet universally vital. It shapes our interactions, defines our happiness, and adds joy and wonder to our human experience. Love remains an integral part of who we are as humans. So, whether you are currently basking in the glow of love or find yourself amidst its shadows, remember that love is a journey. A rich and intricate part of our lives that is always worth exploring. Believe in love because true love is real.
The Gift of Chocolate
If you do believe in love, chocolates are always a classic Valentine’s Day gift. Here are a few South Florida chocolate shops when M&Ms won’t suffice.
5150 Chocolate
Delray Beach
A bean to bar chocolate factory focused on challenging
tradition and pushing the limits of imagination.
Ben B Coco Chocolate Factory
Wynwood District, Miami
Classic and pushing-the-bounderies options and kosher
Hoffman’s Chocolate
Multiple locations
Jan’s homemade candies
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Family owned since 2001
Kilwin’s
Multiple locations
Läderach Chocolatier Suisse
Town Center Mall, Boca Raton
Le Chocolatier
Miami
Family owned and operated and kosher
Shakolad Chocolate factory
Fort Lauderdale
Family owned since 1995
schakoladfortlauderdale.com/about-us.html
Sweet Treats by Jen
Chocolate treats for parties and events
The Sweet Tooth
North Miami Beach
Opened 1979