Ashlyn Martin: Words for the Loved

Have you ever felt anything like being loved? Anything at all? It’s a beautiful feeling, isn’t it?

You have people in your life who care for you and every single thing that you are, and that is absolutely incredible. There are people that know everything about you, from your favorite color to your least favorite ice cream flavor. These are the people that know how to make you laugh and know how to make a bad day better. They know how to put that huge smile on your face. They know exactly what restaurant to take you to on your birthday. These people are the blessings we don’t always deserve.

I’ll be honest with you for a moment: I can’t begin to write about love. Love is too magnificent to ever be explained in words. I wouldn’t even know where to start.

But I do have words that I want you to hear – you, the people that are loved.

The next day, even the very next second, is never promised. We get an unknown amount of time here on this planet with these people that love us. We get an unknown amount of time here with the people we love. As much as no one wants to admit it, we take this for granted. We take for granted the moments we get here with these people. Love may feel infinite, but life is never permanent.

So, picture those people in your head. Picture the ones that you love, the ones that care for you, and the ones that have always been there for you. Now, get up. Turn around. If they aren’t there next to you, then pick up a phone. Call those people you pictured in your head. Tell them all of the things you never say often enough. Tell them you love them, tell them how much they matter to you, and maybe even hug them close. Express your gratitude. Don’t take these people for granted. Make sure they know what they mean to you.

We will never know when our last moment with those people is. It may be sooner or it may be later. Don’t act like every moment is your last – that can ruin the future. Act like every moment with them counts for something indispensable. Act like those moments are priceless.

Tell the people you love that you love them. Love is the closest thing we have to a heaven on earth.