Love Is...#ModernLoveContest

L.O.V.E

Love - a four-letter word that holds a powerful meaning. Jennifer remembered the first time she learned about love. She was a little girl sitting in church in her little white dress with her black, thick hair twisted and styled with white accessories when she heard her pastor say, "love is patient, love is kind." He was reciting 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4-8 of the bible. As she got older, this definition stuck with her as she navigated through life. Before her little brother was born, it was just her, her mom, and her stepfather. Having witnessed him take her mom out on dates or buy flowers even though they weren't celebrating her birthday or their wedding anniversary, Jennifer started to believe that love is when someone showed another person how much they adored them. This idea was further exacerbated when her mom became pregnant. She was now fixated on love as marrying someone who adores you and starting a family with that person. However, Jennifer's perception eventually changed when her mom and stepfather started to argue. Jenn started to think, "If someone loves you, why would you argue with them? Aren't you supposed to be patient and kind?" When they eventually got a divorce, this changed her entire perspective. Not only was the man that once showed her mother affection no longer in the picture but her mom had now become a single mother with two kids.

This experience ultimately affected Jenn's romantic relationships as a teenager. She had a difficult time trusting guys that showed any interest in her because the one man that she and her mom trusted to love and be there for them had walked out. The one time that she let her guard down for a guy that she liked, he cheated on her and ghosted her which caused her to put her guard back up. It was then that Jenn decided to take a break from relationships and work on herself. During her self-love journey, she did things that made her happy like hanging out with friends and taking herself out on dates. Although she still wanted to be in a romantic relationship, she refused to date until she felt emotionally and mentally ready.

Today, at 22 years old, Jenn continues to work on herself while remaining cautious about the men she lets into her life because she wants long-lasting love. Before getting into a romantic relationship, Jenn makes sure to start a friendship with them first so she could really get to know them and develop that trust. Until then, Jenn remains patient. Thanks to these experiences, she now has a new meaning of love. "Love is patient, love is kind, love is trustworthy, and putting yourself first" and when you discover it, it is the most beautiful thing in the world. The connection that you develop with your significant other will be so strong that no challenge can be too large to overcome because love will always help you get through it.