A couple weeks ago, I did a casual search of what people’s definitions of love were. It was more so just in light-hearted spirit, curious to see the turbulence in young people’s journeys in love.

But after sifting through the submissions, there were a few that I found to be heavier. And they made me reflect on my own relationships and connections and made me repeatedly circle back to this question:

“What would I be without you?”

I think there’s such a fine line between dependency and giving credit where credit is due. Sometimes there’s so much focus on thriving solely on being “self-made” or “self-whatever” (which is still, of course, fantastic!) that we forget that there were people involved in making these things happen, even if the effect was marginal.

It is beautiful how much people can show us things that we might not have been able to find on our own. I came to the conclusion that in moving forward, I should frequently pay tribute to these people and thank them in full. And I hope maybe you could too.

So, think about it. Who are "your people"? And what would you be without them?

Take the time to thank the ones who made the difference in the details, who filled the gaps that loneliness or darkness could’ve filled instead.

“Love is like, love is looking at somebody and receiving a sort of instant gratification. It pushes you to strive for greatness, for yourself and for your partner. It’s the little things. The smiles, the cuddles and the morning breath. Jokes about poop and gross things. Staying up watching movies and serving soup to your sick, sniffly best friend. Sharing food, having fun and making messes. Love is weird, but you’ll know it when you get it.”
-Joshua Lewis.

Thank the person that has loved you all your life, because they have more than likely made your simple life a thousand times more extraordinary.

"The unspeakable telepathy between loved ones." - Yrsa Daley-Ward

My grandfather passed away a few years ago. And I always took my grandparents' relationship for granted. They lived a pretty comfortable lifestyle. She'd fix his meals and tidied up around their tiny house. He'd watch his tennis games and news channels from his designated rocking chair. Their interactions were minimal and they showed little affection. It wasn't until his passing, that I realized the grand true love beyond their simple lives. Without his presence, my grandmother no longer knew what to do with herself anymore. She didn't think it was necessary to cook meals. She barely left the house. She spoke less than usual, and when she did, it was of her sadness for her life now. Through all of this, you just knew that the majority of her life was spent with someone to live with and to live for. Now she's lost that part of herself to the point where everyday living had become too burdensome. Though this may all sound disheartening for love, I see it as the greatest love I know in my life--one that is irreparable and irreplaceable, not even by the family surrounding her. She was most herself when she was with him. The few words spoken to each other. The mundane routines. The plain lifestyle. What once all seemed like nothing to me, now mean so much more. I now see that these little details made up the fabrication of their profound love, and a result of their significant history together. Though she may not be the same grandmother I grew up knowing, I see her in a greater light--a woman so brave and strong yet can still feel vulnerable in the face of lost love. Her heavy sadness now is a beautiful reflection of the full and everlasting love she had for my grandfather and will always have for him, even through his absence. It's the kind of love I hope to find one day, and she's the kind of woman I hope to be.”
-Anonymous

Take the time to thank the ones who made you believe in love, because without them, you might have never known.

“Love. I haven’t felt true, unconditional love until Nico. It’s actually pretty hard to explain, but I actually feel equal and respected when I’m with him. We both work hard for this relationship and contribute our thoughts, feelings, ideas, visions, etc. on a daily basis. Our mutual understanding of love, passion, growth, ambition, vulnerability, etc. connected us at a whole other level. We always say some higher being brought us together. Why? Because we continue to learn a great deal from one another, which builds a closer tie between our hearts, minds, and souls. We push each other to see our potentials and never allow each other to give up. And because of that, we’re growing stronger each passing day as individuals and as a couple. Tackling the world together is an invigorating feeling and I can’t see myself doing that with anyone else. He’s redefined love for me and opened my eyes to what it could be. And now I can finally say I know what real love is. He’s my everything and I love him with all my heart and then some. #wumonte #thetakeover.”
-Alice Wu

Take the time to thank the ones who have inspired you, because without them, the world could’ve missed out on the grandness of your being.

“For me, the biggest thing is when she inspires you to do better. Be better. She’s the muse to your own art and pushes you to dream bigger and believe in yourself and be a better man. When she inspires you to make things like this,
Love is putting your heart and soul into someone.”
-Jay-K (DJ Sanchez)

Take the time to thank the ones who empowered you, who helped you find out that your true self is worth loving.

"Love is staying up until sunrise talking in the dark. Love is being there for each other. Love is crying in the rain. Love is all the good moments. Love is all the bad moments. Love is everything, but it all starts with you. And I'm saying that it starts with you to reference both your significant other and yourself. Because I believe that you can't truly love someone until you love yourself. Love is a funny thing, isn't it? People say that it's a socially acceptable form of insanity. And after having been in a relationship for a while now, I do agree."
-Steven Chen

I am thankful that those people helped you, become you. Stay happy, stay grateful.