a guy from vacation

ph: lauryn holmquist

I never thought that I could have feelings for someone I've only known for two weeks; someone who doesn’t even live in my country; someone who I won’t see again in my whole life.

When I first saw you on the beach I was thrilled about your body and your beautiful face. I decided to speak to you because I knew: I have nothing to lose.

After some fun days at the beach we finally met the first time in the evening. We had a drink and talked a lot about everything – that was the first time I noticed you were special, not like the other boys I usually meet on vacation.

I waited some more days for you to kiss me the first time – and I didn’t regret waiting for it. But somehow – for me, at least – it didn’t feel like a normal kiss with some random guy. It just felt like . . . magic. I enjoyed the time with you more than ever. Just sitting next to you and holding your hand seemed perfect to me. No; everything with you by my side seemed perfect.

I was scared of the day I was going home. But I knew that this moment would come; faster than we could imagine. I tried hard to not think about it; but that was impossible.

Our last day, our last night was at the same time the best we had together. I can’t remember another moment I felt so happy and alive.

Then it was time to say goodbye. And I can't remember another moment I felt so empty and horrible. It felt like the end of the world. Knowing that I won’t see you again in my life killed me inside - and is still killing me.


Now I’m sitting here in my bed and can't stop thinking about you. My phone is in my hand and I really want to write you a message. I want to know if you’re okay – and tell you that I miss you. But I won’t do this. 'Cause it’s so childish and idiotic. He’s just a guy from vacation! Don’t be silly, girl!


I put my phone down on my table. No. I really won’t write you. I just don’t want you to think that I’m in love with you (because it would sound ridiculous!). But maybe, yes, I am in love with you. A little bit, at least.

i have a crush

ph: weheartit

a proper start or ending

ph: Oliver Baldwin

He's never really been one to show much emotion; always the closed off, seemingly typically a 'guy'. And this is so cliché, but there's a reason guys like him keep making our hearts swoon. It's nearing the end of my first year at university, and he's been such a big part of what I will remember from this place; this dorm life. The thing is, he's always been a constant; always there with his smirk and over pronounced drawls, the way he kind of ducks down when he walks. He subtly caught my eye with his boyish good looks and a mysterious (or is he just that closed off?) And then it kind of took a course of its own, and before I realized what the hell was going on, my heart already ran with it and I just couldn't keep up or make sense of things. We don't sound compatible on paper; I'm kind of sparkly and cheerful with a loud personality and I'm kind of built boyishly skinny. He is shorter (almost shorter than me, probably is with my heels), much more reserved and is emotionally stunted. I'm a writer; I express emotions (although I hate showing them), and he doesn't seem to feel much at all, apart from a few jokes here and there. Whenever there's other guys (because there's always other guys for me), and I almost completely forget about what's there, he goes and makes conversation, shoots me a boyish grin and I find myself falling again like I never really stopped.

The thing with me is, I am loud, I am funny, I'm good with meeting new people and all that. But I do have layers; I feel that guys just let you down, and that's why 'no strings attached' or whatever I do on a night out, suits me, because I approach these things like a guy does, I go into these 'love things' with half of my heart at most, the rest needs to be earned. And because his room is right next door, he knows, of course he does. I don't sleep around, I have my fun, but he thinks I do, and I hate that.

But sometimes I relish in the fact; because then I can see him and wonder if he thinks I am worth competing for.

I can't really explain the attraction I have towards him; it comes and goes (literally in waves); I've always been a bit reckless and brave; and the first time I confessed my feelings to him, he was already with someone back home.

That was the closure I thought I needed, that I thought I got.

And then somewhere between the second term (workload, parties, too much tequila and non memorable boys), and now, my heart decided to jump in first again, without letting me know.

His bags were packed, and he's ready to move out; back home for the summer, and I know, him being the unattached, unemotional type that he is (although our birthdays are one day apart-shouldn't that mean our personality is the same?) and I feel so so nostalgic, sad in a way that I feel is weak; I shouldn't miss him, I don't have a claim to.

But sometimes we just do, we feel things without other people understanding why.

I swear, part of his appeal is that he never seems to feel; and I just want to open him up.

The last party (of course I was there, we're regulars at this crappy little club); I couldn't fully enjoy the whole thing; because everywhere I looked he was just there, wandering around, dancing, laughing with the guys. And suddenly I had that 'movie moment' where the realization music comes on, and I had to do something, than wallow in the what ifs. So I went up to him, hugged him and told him to have a nice summer.

An hour and countless shots later, that suddenly wasn't the closure I didn't know I needed, so I picked him out, placed my hand on his cheek and (probably sloppily now that the night becomes clearer) kissed him somewhere between the corner of his mouth and his jawline, and told him it's because he's leaving. He hugged me and whispered a thank you in my hair, and sent me another boyish shy smile.

A perfect, sweet ending in a busy club; how ironic. I'm pretty sure a hip hop song was playing.

But being a sappy romantic was never my style.

I don't know what I was expecting, and I went home content. Nostalgic, happy and a tiny bit heartbroken; so bittersweet.

It wasn't a good idea to go to the movies and watch a soppy romantic film with my girlfriends tonight; he finally left this afternoon, and I plastered a cheeky smile and teased him about his small suitcases. It doesn't feel weird; but it wasn't what I wanted; and this is why I hate boys sometimes. Especially boys like him that I cannot understand.

I think I love him, but I probably don't, but I don't even know him; and he's only seen a few sides of me.

His friends all know, but I don't care.

I cried when the movie finished; but I think everyone knew, somewhere along the line, it wasn't just about the movie; and when I got back to my dorm, I stood watching his door for a while, I couldn't help but think about the first day we moved in; now his door is locked and the room is ready for a new boy next year.

I know I probably won't see much of him anymore; because he's not exactly the type to meet up for a quick coffee. I wonder if he'll ever open up, and I know that although we weren't really anything, this will make me more reluctant to open my heart to the next one. Whenever I think about the amazing times I had in this dorm, he'll lurk up; with his casual demeanor and boyish smile, and I'll carry him with me.

There'll be times when I'll be listening to my ipod (we share many favourite bands), or seeing a shirt that he likes to wear; and I'll just wince a little; it's nostalgic, it's bittersweet; and I'll welcome it.

I'll wallow for a bit, but then I'll be fine; I don't really like showing emotion, and I get happy easily (I guess we were kind of similar in a different way).

The thing is, I know that at least I tried. I used to be known as the slightly bitchy girl who doesn't seem to care about much; one who doesn't do commitment. Now I know I can feel, I can give (although he didn't give me a chance to), and I'll be fine, I want him to be happy, I'll wonder what life is like for him.

What can I say really, sometimes a girl just gets swept off her feet, even though the guy isn't really prince charming, and there wasn't even a proper start or ending; it was my story to tell, and it means something to me.

together

ph: spectacles + 1000 Drawings

i love her

ph: Vañuska

I have met someone, and as my fingers dance across these keys she is laying in a hospital bed. I am 102.93 miles away and can do nothing to help her. Since I cannot be with her, I will write about her. Anything to occupy my worried mind. I fell for her the moment her cold fingers ran down my ribcage hidden beneath a t-shirt. I fell asleep on her shoulder and she did not wake me. Months separated us but she rarely left my thoughts, she always crept in. Winter came and when I came home she was one of the first people I saw, we smoked cigarettes in a white van behind a church at 4 o'clock in the morning. Everything was so pure, she told me that all she wanted was for me to be happy. I would lay in bed and wait patiently next to my phone, silently begging it to make any noise indicating I was on her mind. We sat in my car and she kissed my hand while I contemplated my current situation. Not kisses of lust, but kisses of comfort and support. She never crossed the line but very carefully teetered on it. While the end of one came, we began. At first in secret, just leg nudges under a table at a crowded restaurant. Then on the dawn of the New Year worried glances from my parents formed words. We left because I could not stand to be home. We spent the New Year together, I remember best through the pictures. Two days later was my birthday and she laid pink roses into my hands, my weakness. I was called home and forced to confront the words from my parents lips that I was choosing to avoid. Threats, tears, screams. Repeat. It was my birthday. She picked me up and I sank into the leather seats inside her car. She read me words from a piece of line-less white paper that she scribbled down during work. "I want to fight for you but our battle is undefined" I cried, she told me it was beautiful. Days turned to weeks and she refused to confront the separation we would soon have to face. It was all kept inside until one night she screamed and cried, I had never seen her cry. It was beautiful. We laid in a hotel bed and she whispered that she loved me. She is gone now, 102.93 miles away. I find myself laying in bed waiting impatiently for my phone to make a noise but not a noise notifying me that I am on her mind. A noise that notifies me that she is alive and well.
I love her.

i dream of you

ph: emdicvictor + Olivia Steele

go ahead and risk it all

ph: Marija Strajnic

Exactly summer of last year, we were happy. It's been one year and three months since we unofficially became official. We started out as friends, and nothing else. We chatted from time to time till we got each others' numbers. We met through our good friends, honestly I even told my friend that I had a feeling i would have a fling with this guy, but boy was i wrong.

I fell madly and deeply in love with him, you can call it cliche, but it's what happened. The way we'd talk every single day, how he`d notice every little thing I do or say. His hugs, that I never want to let go of, the way he would just listen as I randomly tell him about my life. How he was so patient when I was already pushing him away. I was starting to fall, but I've always been the type of person who was afraid of relationships because I've seen love die way too many times. So I tried to push him away, but he kept coming back. Everybody was telling me I was crazy, because they all knew that he felt the same way too.

It came to a point where I broke down my barriers and let him in, but it wasn't easy because we were both two complicated people, when I wanted let him in, he started pushing me away, and vice versa. I knew why he was doing it, he was confused as I was. Till it came to a point when our first kiss happened, it wasn't intentional we were making fun of each other and then all of a sudden it happened, we were both a little bit surprised because we were still unsure of what we were, if we were actually a couple or not. But then he held my hand, and someone asked me if we were together, I immediately said no. He remained quiet. So the pushing and pulling away in our relationship continued, until it came to a point that we just couldn't work it out anymore, I know I loved him, and still do actually. I've never met a boy who's more patient to me than him, I couldn't blame him for letting go, I think I pushed him too hard that he had no choice but to just give up. And I've been regretting that ever since.

So to everybody who reads my story; don't take things for granted because you will really regret it. Follow your heart, and take the fall. If you think he/she is worth it, go ahead and risk it all. Because once that person is sick and tired of all your games believe me they'll give up even if they don't want to. No couple breaks up and remains just friends, it's either they were never really in love or it's really just a once in a blue moon kind of thing. Don't repeat the same mistakes I did, because the feeling of regret will stay with you forever. If I had one more chance, believe me I would be as patient as he was with me, but having another chance with him I know is a miracle. So to everyone out there, love the one you're with, don't take them for granted. Especially if they keep up with your mood swings, random babblings, being too immature and everything else, those are the ones you should definitely keep fighting for. It's true when they say you never realize how much a person truly means until they're gone.

you and me and the cat

ph: weheartit + Ashley Goldberg

i've decided

ph: abran fuego

I’ve decided I’m going to concentrate on myself. What I want, what I need, what I feel. I need to figure out my own direction in life, my real interests, and what makes me happy. I can’t live off what I think I need, especially if I’m going to look for it from other people. I need a sense of my own self-satisfaction. I need confidence in myself. I like art, I like music, and I like literature. There are no rules, only what I feel. I’m not going to freak out over boys, not worry every second about not having one, nor am I going to read in to everything they say or do. I do not a need a boyfriend to define me. I just need me. Others’ definitions do help to create me, but they do not define me. I am who I want to be. Everything is my own perception. I need to stop being so paranoid about everything. People notice me a lot less than I think, which also scares me because being the narcissist that I am, I love being noticed for the positive. I also need to realize that I can’t always get what I want. The Rolling Stones got it right. Life doesn’t always turn out how you plan, but I’ve realized that I need to just roll with the punches. There is no right path, because if there is I’m definitely on another fucking path than the one the media and our culture portray. A boy won’t like me just because I want him to, nor will someone who is just looking for an easy hookup (and I provide one) miraculously want a girlfriend, especially in such a scenario. Yet, I cannot become too jaded and miss an opportunity when it pops up. I need to just worry less about this. Of course worry is such an integral part of me. Before college it was about all I was missing out on and really trivial issues and loneliness. Now the issues are different but still derive from the same sense of insecurity and lack of satisfaction. While I’m still trying to figure what will help to fill the void in my soul, I’m going to relax more and do things that bring me pleasure while making sure I become a well adjusted adult. Patience…that’s all I need. Love will happen when it does. I can’t mistake lust or desire for love. You can’t force it or act like it’s an accessory. I’ll just have to wait and instead focus on what I have: good friends, fun adventures, opportunities in the greatest city in the world, a world class education, and a loving family. I’ll enjoy myself in the meantime without getting confused. All these boys, they’re just fun. Who needs serious? It feels good to kiss, to touch, but that’s not love. I’ll just enjoy it for what it is. I like to feel sexy and that’s what these boys provide. I want to feel desirable.

if you're brave enough to say goodbye

ph: Sandra Beijer + Frank Updates

if you love someone don’t let them go

ph: Jovan Todorovic

For a year now, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head, and when I think I have, somehow thoughts of you come crawling right back in. I know it’s over and it has been, and I haven’t been genuinely happy since. Every morning I wake up after a dream that I so badly wish were true, and I don’t understand how you can’t love me back, or even how I can’t figure out how to trick my heart into hating you.

I’ve never been in love, but I think this is it. How could someone I care so much for and have so much in common with not realize that I was made for them?

I figure the sad thing about this situation is that you treat me like nothing, a stranger on the street, but in a second I would run right back into your arms. It’s because I love you, I LOVE YOU.

When we were together you said it back, I don’t think you realized how much I meant it and how little you did. Because we’re young, and reckless, we don’t have a care in the world, except I cared about you. And I still do, and I still will tomorrow and the next day.

I may be pathetic and sad. Not strong enough to move on, but I don’t want to be.
If you love someone don’t let them go, be selfish and fight for them, because if you don’t try you’ll regret never knowing, and you’ll fall asleep every night wondering.

I love you.

Love,

K

to love and be loved

ph: Oliver Baldwin + BashZone

we are here for love

ph: Laura Makabresku

Nobody knows how a love starts or how it moves on or even when it ends. It just appears, grows and ends. Like us, mortals.

One way or another, it ends, not always literally saying, but at some moment it loses part of the meaning it used to have.

And for those that disagree, please maintain your ideas and believe in them. I don’t doubt of that or deny it, but I have my own opinions, that are not the most absolute truth, but my own absolute truth.

Anyway, you and I know that endless or not, love is the most unbelievable thing in human existence.

The “to love” and “to be love”, that’s what I’m talking about.

The fact that among billions of people in the world, two of them look at each other as if they were unique. That among billions of people, you just want one person that wants you back. That it exists something so much stronger than anything, that is capable of destroy and raise whole universes. And that thing is inside people.

So superior that it doesn’t make difference between color, belief or any other social fiction. It’s love. For anyone in any place, it’s love, as much as for him or her. Love. Love for anyone. Love from poets, from musicians. From movies and theater. Love, always love. From every places, it comes, it grows and it ends.

Anywhere, it breaks and cures hearts. It happens or is moved on. A problem and a solution, all around the world, for all of us.

It is not a little thing, and it’s not for cheap sentimentalism that some stupid words try to describe it, for centuries we have been talking about. For centuries it is the favorite theme in poetry. Love, as it is, always love. Centuries and centuries later and no one gets tired of talking about it, or even hearing about it. Centuries and centuries later and the ladies are still crying, and the gentlemen still fighting.

Centuries and centuries later and they still Kiss each other in the end of the story. Centuries, centuries and centuries later and the idea never changes. But who said it has to be changed? We want it like this, we will cry at the end, it is not a matter of time. Love is timeless, and will always be the center of attentions.

Just because love is strong. More than just “strong”, it’s indestructible.

When a love is real, it is indestructible. And there are some people that don’t believe it, is that possible? There are people that despise its value. I object! It is from all the treasures, all the wealth, all the beauty and all it's worth in this world, because all of those things, by themselves, are nothing but accessories. They clearly serve for a lot of things, they can bring an human being to life, but none of those things make the world to care about itself.

Love makes us suffer. Nothing in the world brings so much pain as love. It can be tough, cruel. It can tear us apart. It can be the biggest villain of a story. It can be the purest and the hardest pain ever.

But still, it’s love.

And if by one side it makes you suffer, for a thousand of others, it’s the cure for any other pain. It’s the peace and the tranquility, the medicine, the suture. It’s the breath, the awaken. It’s the simple existence of who loves and who believes that beyond love, there’s nothing more necessary. Oh, what a virtue it is to feel!

What a virtue it is to believe in love! What a gift is to be a poet, even without words, that has the most beautiful poetry inside himself. Oh, what a virtue it is to feel what other can’t believe. What a gift it is to live for someone, and to have someone to live for you. What a beauty love is.

After all, if we are here, is for love.

If I write these lines, it’s for love. If you read them, it’s also for love. Things we do for our own will are because of love. Yes, we are here for love. And we’ll keep like this, as long as there are others to encourage us.

you are my favorite

ph: Merlin/BBC + rainy days and blankets

for the pain I would not trade relief

ph: Bimbi Gardel

I met him when I was 16, he was 21. I remember feeling him look at me. I'd never known that feeling before. It didn't take long for us to begin talking. He was everything I loved... music, art, poetry. Within a couple of months I was his. He was mine. My heart beat for him, regardless of who said it shouldn't. How could something this right, be wrong?

I had to make a choice. My family or him. My family that had always loved me, never failed to give me all that they could. My family that would go to hell and back for me. They had protected me from the world. Now they wanted me to choose. I chose him.

Thrown out of the house I seemed to make it. Renting a couch in my friend's apartment for 200 dollars per month. I spent most my time in his bed anyway. He, in his own way was young, he was crazy. For five years we were on again/off again until I left without a warning to to another state. And eventually won back the affection of my family.

My life started over. I wanted it to. I needed it to. I left the past behind and more than anything wanted to move forward with the future. But the problem wasn't something I could run from. Wherever I went, there I was with my heart in hand. Relationships, marriages, alcohol, friends, careers... nothing stopped my love for him.

We saw each other only once. Eleven years after we first made love. We were adults. We were grown. We were still in love. Again, forbidden, I had to choose my family and our whirlwind affair came to an abrupt end.

Fourteen years later I listen to the songs he's written for me. I ache with the loneliness left by not having him close. I don't have hope for new love because he defines what my love is. No other can touch me with his hands or look at me with his eyes. No other can hit the keys, strum the guitar, or sweetly sing to me. For every thing that was bad, for every thing that was wrong, my love hasn't changed. For the pain I would not trade relief. I'd rather live with the ache of not having him then having never had the experience of our love.

it can't be helped

ph: Oda Carlsson + i.am.rebecca

to leave or to stay

ph: Rowena Waack

We’ve been together for a year now. We’ve done everything together, made promises and planned our futures. I love him with every inch of me, but there’s something wrong and not only can I not fix it, but I don’t even know what it is. We’ve always had fights, but lately they are heartbreaking and catastrophic. They last for days and days and we cry ourselves to sleep every night. What are we fighting about? Things have changed, he has changed but he doesn’t see it. He’s pulling away, I feel myself losing him and it’s making me crazy. He works a lot more now, and we don’t have much time to see each other. I wait for hours to see him and then something comes up and he can’t make it out to see me. He says he cares, I know he does. He hasn’t given up on us, and he says he never will. I’ve never felt so hopeless. I practice saying it out loud, “we aren’t happy in this relationship”… but when the time comes I am just scared to death of losing him and I can’t do it.

I can’t stand it anymore. Or that’s what I keep telling myself anyway. I have been saying that for so long it’s lost value to me. I am seriously down… so far down that I don’t even remember what it’s like to feel good about myself or have energy to pursue any type of happiness. I am the epitome of love addiction. How in the world do I stop putting him first? I put him above everything... my health, my goals, my happiness and it is killing me.

Still… I know all this … and when the time comes I don’t act on it.

I’ve prayed and begged and cried out all of my tears. I can’t do anything because as soon as I see him I am flooded with love. I know his secrets; I’ve held him while he’s cried. His smile, his laugh, everything about him are reasons not to leave.

But we can’t stop fighting. It’s hurting him too. I don’t know whether it would hurt him more to leave or to stay.

respect yourself

ph: andrenzo + Jennifer1093

the friend card

ph: Nevena Popovic

My love story is ridiculous, and after a year and a half, it finally ended. No, my boyfriend didn't break up with me. No, my almost lover didn't dump me. No, my sex-buddy didn't leave me. But the only boy I've truly ever loved, my best friend, hurt me. Let me down. Broke my heart for the first time ever.

It all started at a Christmas party with friends. He was my other best friend's ex, but they weren't together when we had met and I therefore didn't pay attention to his existence... until that night. We sat on that couch and talked for hours about what he wanted out of life and what he planned to do with his career; we talked about what I was getting into at school and what I hoped my future held. I didn't think much about him for about a week until we find ourselves together again at a chick-fil-a sandwiched with another couple. We stood in the parking-lot for another hour after and talked. I knew then that he was different and that my heart had been waiting for him.
After that night we became practically inseparable. He'd pick me up after work and we'd go eat dinner, go to movies, and everything else in the universe that was coupley... except for becoming a couple. I finally sucked it up and told him how I felt to have him tell me he just wanted to be friends. Okay, I could handle that. Too bad we went about two months not speaking to and avoiding each other like the plague. But we finally found ourselves back to each other and became closer than ever, and more complicated than ever. It wasn't until last November that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had fallen head-over-heels in love with him. It was the most incredible and suffocating feeling I'd ever felt in my entire life. I wasn't used to caring so strongly for any guy and it terrified me, but I let it go and just kept acting normal.

Fast-forward six months. After a million conversations with both my friends and FAMILY telling me that he was in love with me I got fed up. Why the hell does he get to act the way he does and make me feel the way I do, and then when the "big question" comes up he can throw the friend card down and get away with it?! It's ridiculous. The boy has taken me to meet his family, my family has taken him on vacation with us, he threw me a surprise birthday party, calls and texts me all the time... Like, seriously? Seriously?!

I took a last stab at telling how I felt last month. He didn't say much about it except that he didn't want it to affect our friendship, and yet continued to lead me on and treat me just like his girlfriend and made complete strangers question our "friend" status. It all got to be too much. And I knew that something was up this week when he didn't call. Didn't text. Didn't facebook. Nothing. He'd spent all week with our other two close friends. Girls; girls that knew all my deepest secrets and feelings about him. They told him how I REALLY felt. That I was in love with him. They TOLD HIM. Some friends, huh? He told me this afternoon that he didn't want to do anything alone anymore. No more dinners together. No more movies. No more coupley things that didn't involve other people. Other people being our two friends. How coincidental. He no longer wants to hang out with our married friends because that sends a "wrong idea" to me.

Needless to say I've never cried so hard in all my life. Not only have I lost my closest friends and confidants, I have also lost my first true love because as immature as it sounds, I'm done. I'm done with feelings so hurt and confused and let down. Done; I'm done.

Thank you for listening to my story.
-t.g.

the ones that got away

ph: david ryan + Lee Crutchley

a bridge

ph: Emma Hartvig

It’s odd how every year seems to go faster as you get older. Here I am, almost a year later feeling blind sighted by the entire 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8765 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,556 seconds that made up this year. Amazing how you become a blip in someones life after they meant the world to you.

Sometimes I consider myself a bridge. I’ll meet a new guy and sometimes the very first time we’ll speak I’ll hear the sentence “you’re different than any other girl I’ve talked to before.” Something along those lines always seems to arise often in the course of the friendship, relationship, or simply conversation. It’s something I should be thankful for, a compliment, as some would say. But I’m tired of hearing it.

It’s not that I want someone to tell me that I’m exactly the same as the last girl they were with, or all my tendencies and quirks are that of similar people’s personalities. It’s that my relationships end for the same reason, not on bad terms, but simply general relationship problems. The reason for calling myself a bridge is because after they tell me for their first time that “I’m different than any other girl they’ve ever dated”, very soon after they find another girl, so similar to me in so many ways, and then stay with her for what feels like forever. I’m tired of that, when does someone lead me to a guy who stays with me?

After seeing this happen to me for the third time I sat and thought for hours, I thought about love and hate, and how they are indeed the strongest emotions, but they really are more similar than they are different.

I keep teetering between hate and love for the situation. They can be mistaken so often, but I never thought about it in that way before. I hate love, sometimes I wish I never fell in love, because I feel it’s an emotion that gives the human race something to strive for. The ultimate euphoria. It feels good only for a little, but takes work to keep up. So what’s the point? We work hard to get this feeling that everyone is dying to have and some people don’t even achieve. Even if you do it bites you in the ass on the way out. A final “goodbye” or what have you. Hate, on the other hand doesn’t do that. No one wants it and it doesn’t hurt you as much as love does. Hate burns people’s faces, love burns away dignity, pride, respect, trust. Hate doesn’t forgive, but it can forget. Love doesn’t forget, so it’s always there hurting you, tearing you apart, but love forgives.

I just needed to get this out there, I was then thinking about breaking up. How you’re never really fully over someone. When one person drops out of a relationship for whatever reason, the other is left out to dry. You’re out of sunlight, the wind isn’t blowing, and you’re on the ground. It’ll take forever to dry. So you don’t let go until someone else picks you up, pins you on the clothesline to feel the breeze and the sunlight.

I’m young, and also awful at getting over people. But I’m tired of dwelling. He’s my friend, a very good one at that. We loved each other. He loves his best friend now, but he still loved me. He loves me as a friend, and cares about me. Yes he was my first love, but it doesn’t mean he’ll be my last. I’m young, I’m flirty, I’m spontaneous, I’m goofy, I’m passionate, I’m determined, I’m strong, I surround myself with amazing friends, I have opinions, beliefs, ideas, thoughts, dreams, hates, loves, but for the past 3 years I’ve lost parts of myself every time I’m a bridge. This time I’m tired. No matter how many times I cry, how many times I scream and yell, how many times I don’t talk to people, it will still be there. It happened. I knew it was coming. So I guess it’s my turn to live.

thank my lucky stars

ph: The General Specific + Shana Murray

the memory of being loved

ph: margaret durow

I threw out the last of your things today. All of your letters, cards, and mementos are all gone now. That one last text that I had left in my inbox for months, telling me how much you loved me has finally been deleted. I haven’t actually looked at any of these things since the day you told me you didn’t love me anymore. They were more like ghosts. Things that haunted me, stuffed in drawers and closets, marking their territory as places I would have to avoid, unless I wanted to be reminded of what used to be.

The funny thing is, I never kept these things or clung to them because I believed you’d come back. I always knew better than that. I knew the moment you ended it that when you walked away you were walking away for good. And that moment will forever be engraved in my mind, in my heart, in my soul. I can’t shake it. It was like falling down a flight of stairs and landing on my stomach, having the breath knocked right out of me. It’s been five long months since that day. It took me five months to finally dispose of every last reminder of you because I was afraid. I was afraid that by getting rid of those memories that I would forget what it felt like to be loved like that. You fell out of love with me, and a part of me will probably always resent you for that. But at the time that those notes were written, those texts were sent, and those gifts were given, you were in love with me. And maybe it wasn’t the memory of you I was avoiding ridding my room of, but the memory of being loved wholeheartedly by someone.

Five months from the day my heart was given back to me in a million pieces, and I’m better now. I collected most of the pieces and put them back together. There’s just one little crack left, and I think that may always be there. The scar reminding me that I had a first love who I gave all of myself to. But I’m not bitter anymore, I’m free now; free to find someone to love me fiercely with everything they have. Free to find someone to love me the way I will love them.

i complete me

ph: Thomas van der Zaag + Debra Baxter

and be with him

ph: cassoday harder

My name’s Fanny, I’m a 27-year-old editor and I live in Northern Europe with the cutest, kindest and most faithful boyfriend a girl could dream about. We both seem happy with a dream job. I could easily spend my whole life with him. But in spite of the love I have for him, most of the time I feel like I’m living a live which isn’t mine.

A few months ago, I received a very cute Facebook request from a guy I met in Southern Europe during my year and a half international student exchange. Then my whole world fell apart. Accepting his friend request was the biggest fear and the highest joy of my life. Then I remembered.

Five years ago, I was a barmaid in a crowded bar when he entered the place with a friend we had in common. He instantly drew my attention, a rebel constantly dressed in black with Joy Division and Pixies tees. We started talking and I knew right away we had a lot in common. I felt he was the only passionate one I could trust and who could truly look into my eyes. I was listening to all kinds of anecdotes he could tell, being careful enough for him not to realize I was actually falling for him. It may sound crazy when you think about it, but I felt we “knew” each other already. At that time I was the only blond specimen among dark-haired local people; I was exotic. I could probably have had a chance with lots of people but, don’t ask me why, I never even dared to ask him out. “Guys like him never stand by themselves”, I thought. Mistake of the century.

Months passed. July came and I soon had to pack my bags and go back home. I planned a last night out to kiss everyone goodbye and there he was, in the middle of the crowd, unaware that I was actually going away until I told him. “This is my very last night here. I’m catching a plane tomorrow and I’ll probably never come back”. His face changed. He swallowed. “Then”, he said, “We absolutely have to go out together”. So we went out. We talked a lot, about books, movies and music, and modern romanticism, and his dream to be a librarian some day, and maybe write a book… A silent seduction insinuated itself and even now I swear I have never felt so close to anybody else. We spent breathtaking moments. He spent the night sharing his secrets with me and at dawn he tried to kiss me. I had waited for this moment for months and it was finally happening. And I turned my head away. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t want to suffer anymore. I was already thinking about the plane I had to catch the day after and I couldn’t stand the idea. He said he was sorry if he was pushing me, that it wasn’t his intention at all… God, if only he knew. If only he knew! Later I said I had to go to the bathroom. Truth is, I went there crying and I didn’t want him to notice. An hour later I found a pretext to lose him in the crowd and I was gone before he even realized. I had never felt like this before. I had spent pointless years waiting for true love and when it finally came to me, I had to let it go and there was nothing I can do. When I found a slight bit of passion I was catching a plane the next day and I now live in a state of permanent suspended chemistry.

When he found me again a few months ago we started talking and it was just as if our conversation never ended. So now I’m wondering, what am I going to do? He has no idea of what he provoked even if he remembers my last night just the way I describe it. We live 2500 miles apart but every day when I awake I just want to catch a plane and be with him. Some time ago I told him I was writing a book and he has no idea that he inspired me a lot to write about the male protagonist. I wonder what he would think about all this.

He’s passionate enough to wander through the net and catch this blog so, who knows?

I love you, bookworm.

love

ph: Marija Strajnic + simplyxalison

"Love: a single word, a waspy thing, a word no bigger or longer than an edge. That's what it is: an edge; a razor. It draws up through the center of your life, cutting everything in two. Before and after. The rest of the world falls away on either side."
-- Lauren Oliver, the author of Delirium
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after a long time apart

ph: Rowena Waack

Every time I see him after a long time apart I am struck by how solid he is—how real and colourful.

I marvel at the texture of his hair, of being able to run my fingers through it and fluff up his bangs. The depth of his gentle, blue-grey eyes. The warmth of his flesh. The comforting smell of his body, his clothes. The clearness and closeness of his voice, unadulterated by Internet connections and unfiltered by the reception of cell phones. How tall he is, how big—how he wraps around me when I move to embrace him and dwarfs me, encloses me.

I hold his hands again, view his feet—those adorable feet, wrapped in dark socks. As I interlock my fingers with his, our palms meet like old friends. The contours of his face—I had forgotten how nuanced they were, how fine. These details had faded from my memory after countless video conversations, where all I could see were his head and shoulders, a simple frontal view. Where the image is grainy and the audio lags. But in reality there are no delays in the conversation, except when he struggles with a sound--his characteristic stutter.

In person, after months of being so far apart, his fullness of being and his very real presence are striking.

How glad it makes me.

if you still love me...

ph: julie.lansom + xorsyst

to be free of you

ph: Kate Pulley

I can't quite remember your face anymore. But the mention of your name would still conjure up a feeling I can't quite express.To be honest, I did once think that you could be the one. But you certainly didn't mean it when you said you loved me. Nor did you mean it when you laid down with me. Was I just another one of your many virgin conquests or was I just another pit stop in that unlovable life of yours? Wait, hold. I don't want to know. You are not of my concern anymore.

Frankly, I don't feel for you anymore. I don't love you. I've moved on an am happy with my man. Yet, I still need an outlet to let my feelings go. I need to tell the world what I could not do anywhere else. I need to let go of a secret that has tied me to you. I don't need sympathy, I just don't want to keep quiet anymore. I want to be free of this burden. I want to be free of you.

Ladies and gentlemen please be my witness as I confess myself. Yes, I once did give up my pride and hang on to a relationship that could never work. You were selfish and arrogant but I was pregnant. It was your doing . You knew it. Yet all you could say was, "You don't have to keep it". Yes, you were a cruel man. I have no other way to go. My mother was under depression and you knew that at that moment that you were my all, but you deserted me. You had an affair while I was aborting my child. Yes, I aborted my child. I was a sinner and I was a fool. Dear lord, forgive me.

It took me long enough to heal, but today Mr. J, I am a woman with more pride and success than you could ever pin down on me. I am in love again and I shall no longer bear this burden. Ever. I don't know and I don't want to know anything about you anymore. You can live that selfish life of yours and lie to the world about what a bitch I was. You can wear a mask and fool the world. From this moment on, I am set free of the truth. I will no longer have to lie. I am whole again. I have loved ones to warm my life and a man that is faithful and loves me for all that I am.

I am loved and I shall love.

anything

ph: Silvio Luchetti + CShayR

love changes

ph: minezoo

I remember when everything between us was spine tingling and wet palms and making out and you gave me butterflies and I made you want to stay up all night just to talk to me.

And of course, they say, life can’t go on that way. You can’t be madly, passionately in love forever. So that love changes, it morphs.

It becomes the mundane. What we have now. The kisses hello and goodbye, the
compulsory “I love yous”, the lack of sexual excitement. But it’s only been 9 months. And yes, we’ve lived together for three of them and you haven’t had a job so I’ve been supporting us both….

But is this right?

Sometime I don’t know if I love you and that brings tears to my eyes because I think it means I don’t.

But you’re the very best person I’ve ever met in my life. Boys like you don’t exist. This perfect concoction of tough and sweet and endlessly patient.

And I’m so fucking sorry but I don’t know how much longer I can do this.

But I don’t know how I could ever be without you either.

i thought of you

ph: Lieke Romeijn + i.am.rebecca

don’t let a broken heart stop you

ph: aN ACciDenT

All relationships start with happiness and excitement and feelings that make you feel like you are on top of the world and give you butterflies in your stomach which sometimes make you feel sick of joy. But my relationship started differently, totally the opposite of those feelings. I hated him. He annoyed me he never made laugh or smile. I couldn’t stand being around him. We had the same group of friends. He was always there. He was always in his own world, didn’t really speak to a lot of people, but always had an opinion about everything and every time we spoke, the conversation ended up in an argument.

The days of school were coming to its end and the school prom was approaching faster. No date. Panicking. Stupid.

He was the first guy to ask me. I found it weird but something made me accept it. So I did. He came to pick me up at the house. Wow! Were my first thoughts. He had made such an effort to look good that I felt so happy to be by his side. Everyone was amazed to see us arriving together.

That was it. That night he made me fall in love with him. he told me that after all the arguments that we had he was actually learning things about me rather than hating me. He knew everything. He knew all my views on the world, the people. He knew I what I was passionate about. He even knew my favourite colour, music, traveling dreams. everything. I was amazed I also felt embarrassed.

Summer holidays started. Everyday I spent with him. we became friends, best friends. He told me he had a surprise for me. He covered my eyes and took me to the place. When I opened my eyes I couldn’t believe what I saw. He took me to a forest and decorated it with fairy lights, candles, music playing and food. It was like being in wonderland.

I loved it but I wasn’t sure why he was doing this. He told me. “iv loved you from the moment that I saw you, you’re an opinionated, weird bitch”. Those harsh words made me like him even more. Weird I know!. I said “why haven’t you told me this before” he said “ I don’t know. But if I did this wouldn’t have been so special”

Days, weeks, months went past of exciting little surprises. We were young. He made me feel like a princess. We did so many things together that to this day every song I listen to, every movie I watch, place that I visit, food that I eat, words that I hear remind me of him. New Years Day, The End. I fell in love just once. Did it have to happen with you.

2 years went by, we meet again. Older matured. Full of dreams. Dreams that we had together. 2 years later we plan to make those dreams come true. After months of heart broken tears. After months of happiness that I got over him I traveled I met new people I had fun . 2 years later I fell right back in love with him but its different. Something is different and it makes me feel so happy that every morning that I wake up I smile. I look forward to the day and also to the months ahead as we go traveling all over the world.

So this is my story. Hearts get broken all the time. People change for better or for worse. Heal you broken heart by being free. There is happiness out there. It may be with that same person or someone else. But don’t let a broken heart stop you from loving someone else. So be free. Love make love and be happy.


peace and love


lb x
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I want to thank you all for the well wishes, thoughts + prayers you sent me about my dad. This has been a crazy + surreal time for me, so it means the world to hear from you.

I love you guys + appreciate your support.

x

DAD

Last night, my father passed away after battling cancer for almost four years.
He's had three close calls, but this time it happened + I am heartbroken.

I am going to be taking a short break from blogging to be with my family. I mentioned to someone earlier that blogging has always served as a great distraction, so I will definitely be back at it soon.

In honor of my dad, I urge you to take a moment to consider donating your stem-cells to help cure or even just help prolong the lives of others suffering from cancer + other diseases. While my father's stem cell transplant from a donor did not cure his cancer, it gave him another precious year to be with us + we couldn't be more thankful.

Find out more about donating here.

♥

I miss you dad. I'll love you forever. You will always be our Jamdula bonehead.

i will love you

ph: margaret durow + ieatglass