Some people say that you can’t help whom you fall in love with, or who you love. Some people say you are born loving, and that you are taught to hate. Our choices become us, and if you choose to love and believe in love, even if you may not express it out loud, love will be there in the most unlikely of places.

What is love? The question can be broad, vague, and complex to consider. Nevertheless, love is acceptance without questions, welcomed without invitation, and caring without gaining.

You can experience love in a variety of forms: towards your family, your friends, an intimate partner, a complete stranger, animals, the environment, and lastly, towards yourself.

So, is love something you can feel at random, or do you choose to feel love?

You cross people on a sidewalk mostly every day, this does not mean you will be struck by Cupid in the middle of Times Square as you brush shoulders with a person walking in the opposite direction of you— or you may and that can be declared destiny.

Either way, of some force of choices you have made to bring you to the current situation which you find yourself surrounded by love— or completely at random, you and the person involved in the relationship will be faced with all of the choices to allow love to continue to grow.

If you have a preference in romantic partners, then you clearly will choose where your love should be dispensed. If you have no preferences and you are unbiased, then love may come to you without invitation. You may have an incredible amount of love to give, and you find yourself forgiving everyone and anything that has ever wronged you.

In the unforeseeable circumstance, the person whom you have fallen in love with may come with a set of flaws. It is then your choice to continue to love them despite how it may affect you.

If it gets too grievous and the relationship is abusive, then you must make the choice to love yourself.

Love is a choice you make and it is brave. You can choose to love someone for their flaws, and you will be saving them in more ways than you could currently imagine. By accepting your neighbor, your partner, your friend, even slightly, you will give them the courage to love themselves and their choices.

However, you must choose to love yourself when you feel that the love is being taken advantage of, and the line is very thin and often easily crossed.

If you are an open person, people will be drawn to you because you are inviting, caring and friendly, and they want to be accepted. This could be an explanation why forces out of your control can draw love to you.

Ultimately, it is your choice to allow it to continue. More often times than not, the answer is: make the choice to love in order to allow growth.

Show love by accepting the situation or the person for all their reasons. Show love by welcoming it or the people that ask for it. Show love to yourself by choosing what is wrong and right for you.

Choose to love in most situations, choose to forgive and accept what you cannot understand, it is oftentimes the right decision.