this question has probably crossed your mind before, hasn’t it?

i used to think about it all. the. time.
when i asked parents, grandparents, or anyone who’s been in love for years, they all said the same thing:
“i just knew.”
but how?

i never understood it… until i did.
and you might think, “how can a 17-year-old possibly know?”
but real love usually comes when you least expect it.

my mom always used to tell me it’s a feeling you just can’t describe, something only you and that person feel. intuition. a gut feeling.

i tried to listen to myself, but sometimes you think you’re paying attention when really… you’re not.
you notice tiny things that bother you, the little moments, the small comments. you convince yourself it’s normal. that it shouldn’t bother you.
but it does. no matter how hard you try to forget.
and as time passes, those “little things” aren’t so little anymore.
many people miss this part. they stay, and they get hurt even more.

what i learned is this:
sometimes your body rejects a person before your mind does.

how, you ask?
you are more tired than usual,
you stop getting excited about things you used to,
your skin breaks out
and everything feels heavier.
you just don’t know why…

until one day, you do.

now you might wonder, how can you tell if person IS the one?

here’s what i can tell you:
if you’re constantly asking, “how do i know if he’s not the one?”
then he’s not the one.
with your person, your mind wouldn’t even go there.

the thing that most surprised me, is i felt like me.
not the version i show my friends or family.
but the version of me alone.
i don’t have to pretend, i can be whoever i want to be. but still somehow, with him i felt 200% like me.

he only brought the best in me, with everything. i suddenly felt more confident, not only in my body, but also in my mind. stronger, valuable, respected, supported and most importantly…loved.

i felt like i was capable of ANYTHING, didn’t matter whether it was a random exam i was stressed about, future or changing the world.

one of the biggest sings,
i felt safe.
he felt like home.
i could tell him anything, everything and he would actaully listen. deeply.

but what about the “honeymoon phase”?
how do you know it’s real and not just the first few months?

i could write another ten pages about this, but here are a few things:

• you see real future with that person- whatever that means for you.
• you feel safe in their presence
• they remember the little things you say
• you never feel disrespected
• you feel like their person too
• you were never unsure with them
• you’re proud to introduce them to your family and friends
• trust. when you are not together for a longer time, you should be able to handle the distance.
• arguments are “us vs the problem,” not “us vs each other”
• supporting eachother but still being honest
• it feels easy. “love is never complicated“
• last but definitely not least, (it’s kinda funny) is chemistry. one thing is how you feel, another is your attraction to them. it’s literally biology.

all of these are imporant, but not as this one:

communication.

not just small talk or fun conversations.
but also in arguments.
mainly in stuff you dislike talking about. you have to have strong communication just as trust to be with that person for a long time. you both have to be open and willing to spend time with eachother.

love is being more and more rare, because social media and “situationships” are ruining it.

let me just tell you, if you know, you know.

you would be willing to do anything for that person to make them happy.
anything.

o.k., i love you ♡
hana