“Who will you choose, the one you love or the one who loves you?”

Story time.

When me was younger, love felt like a storm—intense, dramatic, unforgettable. i believed that heart beat faster for someone, that was enough reason to stay. Even if i had to wait. Even if i had to prove to myself.

But years changed me.

once i loved someone who couldn’t love me back the same way. she cared, but not enough to choose me fully. I stayed longer than should have, thinking love meant endurance.

Then I met someone.

She wasn’t a storm. She was steady. She remembered the small things. She showed up when she said she would. She didn’t make me question where i stood.

One night, a friend asked me, “Who would you choose—the one you love, or the one who loves you?”

I thought carefully before answering.

“I’ll choose the one who chooses me,” I said. “Love shouldn’t feel like convincing someone to stay. It should feel like building something together.”

And for the first time, love felt peaceful instead of painful.