Do not settle for mediocre love. Do not stay with someone that hurts you in fear of finding nothing better. Do not cry over someone who repeatedly puts you second. Do not spend Friday nights with a person who makes you sacrifice the things you love for their own benefit. You are capable of so much more than mediocre. Do not hold yourself back to be with some one who makes you feel like you do not deserve greatness. You are full of infinite possibilities: a doctor, an astronaut, a stay at home mom, a hair dresser. You would not settle for mediocre in any of these things, so why love?

I am very sad this even needs to be said. We live in a society where love is sought after from the minute we hear of a knight in shining armor. Fairy tales and play ground marriages teach us to be on the hunt from the very beginning. STOP SEARCHING. Love will always have its way. Real, genuine, mutual love is not something that you find in a game of hide and seek. It is messy. It is hard. It is filled with nights of belly laughing and Chinese take out and nights of arguing and silent treatment- but through that all, love grows stronger.

Being in love is not suppose to be easy, but it should not ever leave you in pain. You should not feel lesser or weaker or unheard. You should never be overlooked. Your happiness and your partner's happiness should be mutually valued.

I promise you there is a love far greater out there. We were made with so much intention and exactness, so do not settle. Our purpose was never to be mediocre: we were made to be magnificent.

Love calls you by silly nicknames and laughs at your chemistry puns they don't understand.

Love drives an hour out of its way to leave you a note on your car in chicken scratch handwriting.

Love sacrifices.

Love knows that blue tee is your favorite and wears it five days in a row before you have to say something.

Love sits through movies it hates to see you stare at the screen in awe at your favorite part.

Love stares at you in the same way.

Love makes you feel safe and welcomed and valued, and will tell you one hundred times a day how lucky they are to know you.

Love knows your favorite songs -that does not mean they like them.

Love is a listener: they lay down their day to hear your heart.

Love is patient when you have not eaten in a few hours and get incredibly grumpy.

Love surprises you with forehead kisses and makes you laugh until you cannot breathe.

Love would give you its breath if needed.