All I have ever heard is that love is an indescribable feeling that can't be put into words. It is so amazing no single term has been invented that portrays love in its entirety. Yet thousands of poems, sonnets, short stories, song lyrics, and even a limerick or two have attempted to take on this impossible challenge. To describe love so well, the reader knows exactly what it feels like.

            I will not be taking on this challenge. Because in order to attempt to write about love, one has to first fall in love. Which I haven't done yet. So I could write a witty story about my various attempts to find love in all the wrong places. I could regale my reader with vignettes pertaining to the worst pick up line I have ever received or my blind date from hell. But I haven't experienced those either.

            So I'm left with quite the dilemma. I'm supposed to be writing about love or sex. Neither of which do I have a firsthand knowledge. Should I make something up? Try to put myself into the shoes of a woman madly in love? Envision what a raunchy sexual encounter consists of and try to find the right words to express it? I guess I could. But I'm not going to. Because when you talk about something as intimate as love, I believe that it has to come from within. People who have been in love know when you're faking, so you have to either write from the heart or not write at all.   

            Why are we so obsessed with love anyway? There is now way you can “succeed” in love. You either find someone or you don't. And you can't just set out determined to fall in love, and then if you work hard enough, find your perfect match. It doesn't work like that. As a society we're completely wrapped up in the idea that if you can dream it, you can do it. If you work hard enough for something, you'll get it. But at the same time we tell people that love comes when you least expect it and you can't make someone fall in love with you. What gives?

            Society needs to stop emphasizing love. Let me rephrase that: society needs to stop emphasizing romantic love. We have an entire holiday devoted to spending obscene amounts of money on our significant others. We have an entire genre of movies devoted to the exploits of people in love. The experience of a person's first love is supposed to be one of their most cherished memories. The first heartbreak takes a close second. Love is a common denominator between people; though no one experiences it the same, everyone can relate to each other. It's like a secret code.

            As a society we need to start embracing all kinds of love. “Oh, you have a group of close friends who you love like sisters? You have an incredible family who you would do anything for? That's great! But who do you love?” I don't think that I am missing out on anything by “only” having close friends and family. I may not have experienced romantic love, but that does not mean I don't have love in my life. We need to stop putting romantic love on a pedestal and minimizing other kinds of love. During the holiday season, we emphasize displaying love for all people. Yes, our significant others are important; but we also show love for our friends, family, and even people we've never met. I think that's the kind of love worth spreading year-round.  

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