is it just me, or does everyone feel so overstimulated when they open social media on valentine’s day?

every story.
every post.
every single profile.

romantic love is everywhere.

and yes, romantic love can be truly beautiful.
when it’s real and healthy.
oh, i could tell you all about that.

but personally, when i was dating, i never felt the urge to post my loved one online.
not because i was ashamed — but because i wanted to keep it between us.
nobody has to see our love everywhere.
it’s ours. not yours.
that’s just my personal view though, everybody is different.

and maybe that’s why valentine’s sometimes feels louder than it needs to be.

because besides that kind of love, there’s another one.
one that rarely gets flowers.

the kind that is almost never mad at you.
the kind you can call at 3 a.m.
the kind that tells you the truth — not just what you want to hear.

platonic love.

the girls who sat next to you at practice.
the friends who noticed when you got quieter.
the ones who hyped you up before exams, games, first dates.
the ones who held your secrets and your shaking hands.

we’re taught that romantic love is the ultimate “love goal.”

but what if it’s not the only one?

i think everyone needs one true best friend in their life.

maybe it’s your mom.
your sibling.
or that one friend who somehow knows you better than you know yourself.

when everything feels like it’s falling apart,
that one person will hold you.
or fall with you.

and here’s something many people don’t realize:

the right romantic love will never make you choose between your partner and your friends.

it’s the opposite.
it will respect them.
support them.
honor them.

so this valentine’s, yes, celebrate the butterflies.
celebrate the soft hands and deep conversations.

but also celebrate the girls who stayed.
the ones who saw you at your worst and didn’t flinch.
the ones who loved you before anyone else did.

don’t forget them.

buy them flowers.
or donuts. (i bought mine Krispy Kreme — highly recommend btw :D)
tell them you love them.

true love is rare.

both romantic and platonic.

so honor it, in every form.

(and don’t forget to love yourself, too.)

it’s all ’bout love ♡

(ps: ‘Bout You)

love,
hana