Once when I was young I wandered into the kitchen, where my mom was cooking. “Are you hungry?” she asked, offering me a snack. I remember staring at her for a moment, confused. Was I hungry? I pushed on my stomach; it did not hurt. It was not grumbling, either.
“How do I know?” I asked.
“How do I know?” I asked my father, nearly twenty years later.
Do you love him? my father had asked, referring to my boyfriend. I cocked my head to the side, then, too. It did not hurt. My stomach was not fluttering. I did not feel faint. Was this love? How would I know?
I held onto that question long after the boy and I broke up. How would I know? How would I know love if I found it? You just know, my mom liked to say; she is not as complicated as I am. My father doesn’t say things like that. He understands being complicated, but he is like my mom, in that “just knows” things.
Now, years later, when I think back on all that and think about what love is and means, I think this: Love is, to me, the thing that stays. It is many other things, too–passion, warmth, comfort, safety, and deep deep joy. It is small moments and big adventures; long coats and hot drinks. It’s furry faces, soft words, and open doors. A hand on a hand, a hand on a heart. It’s a detective, determined to find us when we are lost in the darkest corner. A team to cheer us on in this race, this long race that sometimes seems unwinnable. A plate of favorite food, warm and ready. A salute, a cheer, a wordless embrace. It a thing we give and take and give again. But when everything is spinning around and away, there is love. Love is the thing that stays. And that’s how I (finally) knew.
❤️❤️❤️
Thank you all so much for this whole marvelous ride. Thanks, Cocoa for thinking it up, and thanks to everyone who joined in (in every way, for every length of time) It’s been such a treat and an honor, really, to read your posts and share these things with you. It’s been intense, and I don’t know if I could ever do it again, but I’m so glad I did this this time. Happy Valentine’s Day to us all.
Love,
lolol what if my REAL name was another, not nicole — aiya. no, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, either. 😜 Anyway,
Wonderful final post, nicole. I admit “love is a detective” sent my brain off into a tailspin and “a team to cheer us on in this race” is lovely. It’s very kdrama too – the ally with which we can survive the world.
*tucking this away to use in the future when I might need to figure out if I know or not*
Thank you Nicole. This is lovely. Reading your posts has been lovely.
Yours was the first post that I had found so touching in the first day of challenge.
A lovely conclusion to a lovely series ^^
“a detective, determined to find us when we are lost in the darkest corner.” That’s such an ideal of love. I’m not sure if I’ve experienced love like that before, but I hope to.
yes this is pretty ideal. and rare, even when it’s real. i think it’s a side of love that comes with time, too. learning the “clues” (to keep my metaphor going) and how to put them together. it’s a side of love i aspire to have for others and something i see others aiming to have toward me, so i mentioned it. i hope you find it, too! i hope we all find it. as my brother’s kindergarten class would have said: “I wiiiiiiiiiiish that for us!”
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 9:24 AM
Day 14
Once when I was young I wandered into the kitchen, where my mom was cooking. “Are you hungry?” she asked, offering me a snack. I remember staring at her for a moment, confused. Was I hungry? I pushed on my stomach; it did not hurt. It was not grumbling, either.
“How do I know?” I asked.
“How do I know?” I asked my father, nearly twenty years later.
Do you love him? my father had asked, referring to my boyfriend. I cocked my head to the side, then, too. It did not hurt. My stomach was not fluttering. I did not feel faint. Was this love? How would I know?
I held onto that question long after the boy and I broke up. How would I know? How would I know love if I found it? You just know, my mom liked to say; she is not as complicated as I am. My father doesn’t say things like that. He understands being complicated, but he is like my mom, in that “just knows” things.
Now, years later, when I think back on all that and think about what love is and means, I think this: Love is, to me, the thing that stays. It is many other things, too–passion, warmth, comfort, safety, and deep deep joy. It is small moments and big adventures; long coats and hot drinks. It’s furry faces, soft words, and open doors. A hand on a hand, a hand on a heart. It’s a detective, determined to find us when we are lost in the darkest corner. A team to cheer us on in this race, this long race that sometimes seems unwinnable. A plate of favorite food, warm and ready. A salute, a cheer, a wordless embrace. It a thing we give and take and give again. But when everything is spinning around and away, there is love. Love is the thing that stays. And that’s how I (finally) knew.
Love,
February ❤️
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 9:28 AM
@kimbapnoona @justme @greenfields @leetennant @sicarius @egads @wishfultoki @raonah @ally-le @moana @anothernicole @snarkyjellyfish @khalessymd @katakwasabi @oppafangirl @bammsie @natzillagorilla @mindy @acacia @sweetiepie54 @yuyuu @waterhyacinth @isthatacorner @fatcat007 @hotcocoagirl
❤️❤️❤️
Thank you all so much for this whole marvelous ride. Thanks, Cocoa for thinking it up, and thanks to everyone who joined in (in every way, for every length of time) It’s been such a treat and an honor, really, to read your posts and share these things with you. It’s been intense, and I don’t know if I could ever do it again, but I’m so glad I did this this time. Happy Valentine’s Day to us all.
Love,
lolol what if my REAL name was another, not nicole — aiya. no, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, either. 😜 Anyway,
Love,
nicole
❤️❤️❤️
natzillagorilla
February 14, 2019 at 2:34 PM
Gah, lovely as always!!
Thank you so much for sharing your words and talent with us <3
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 8:26 PM
oh thank you thank you❤️❤️❤️ i’m so glad we did this!
Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February
February 14, 2019 at 5:16 PM
Oh gosh, thank you for sharing, your heart and your name ~
I am so in awe of all those who have joined, the new friends that have been made, the love that has been shared. It’s been the highest of honors. <3
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 8:28 PM
the highest of honors!! yes!! ❤️❤️❤️
bam 🐢🐌💖~
February 14, 2019 at 9:43 AM
Absolutely wonderful.
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 10:12 AM
thank you! ❤️❤️❤️
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
February 14, 2019 at 10:05 AM
Wonderful final post, nicole. I admit “love is a detective” sent my brain off into a tailspin and “a team to cheer us on in this race” is lovely. It’s very kdrama too – the ally with which we can survive the world.
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 10:12 AM
yes! an ally! thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Fatcat007 (Kitty 💜)
February 14, 2019 at 10:13 AM
*tucking this away to use in the future when I might need to figure out if I know or not*
Thank you Nicole. This is lovely. Reading your posts has been lovely.
Yours was the first post that I had found so touching in the first day of challenge.
A lovely conclusion to a lovely series ^^
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 11:32 AM
aww thank you so much!! i’m glad you enjoyed my posts, as i really enjoyed yours, too ❤️❤️❤️
Shek
February 14, 2019 at 10:26 AM
“Love is the thing that stays.” That’s exactly what it is. Perfect way to explain it. Thank you so much for such a wonderful post!
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 11:33 AM
thank YOU! ❤️❤️❤️
Ally
February 14, 2019 at 10:34 AM
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 11:33 AM
thanks so much, ally! ❤️❤️❤️
WishfulToki
February 14, 2019 at 1:08 PM
“Love is the thing that stays”. Thank you for saying that. And thank you for reading and commenting on all my posts. Woodalchi fighting!
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 8:29 PM
WOODALCHI FIGHTING!!!!!
and thank YOU for sharing your posts — i enjoyed and appreciated them so much ❤️❤️❤️
Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February
February 14, 2019 at 5:17 PM
“a detective, determined to find us when we are lost in the darkest corner.” That’s such an ideal of love. I’m not sure if I’ve experienced love like that before, but I hope to.
another woodalchi nicole recruit
February 14, 2019 at 8:51 PM
yes this is pretty ideal. and rare, even when it’s real. i think it’s a side of love that comes with time, too. learning the “clues” (to keep my metaphor going) and how to put them together. it’s a side of love i aspire to have for others and something i see others aiming to have toward me, so i mentioned it. i hope you find it, too! i hope we all find it. as my brother’s kindergarten class would have said: “I wiiiiiiiiiiish that for us!”
Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February
February 14, 2019 at 9:05 PM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WS3Lkc6Gzlk
Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February
February 14, 2019 at 9:06 PM
But now my ideal of love truly includes a detective, and I thank you for that 🥰🕵🏻♂️