At birth, you are dealt a set of cards. You may have a royal flush or a rather bitter display. Either way, everyone knows that in order to win a game of poker, you must beat the hand dealt against you. What you decide to do with your cards is entirely up to you. This game, or in reality, life, is an experience in which you must adapt and redirect at times. In my few years of adaptation, I have come to realize that love is the only chip worth cashing in. I have spent many years ignoring this constant that my life depends on, only to realize it at a time of pain. No, the pain was not physical, but rather heart-aching.
The suffering of a heart is unlike any other pain; it is cruel and feeds off of your sorrows. Like a mosquito to one’s blood. But when given the fuel to help you function, the heart allows you the experience of life. Many do not realize that this pain and suffering is due to the love that life has given us. Without love, there would be no reason for a heart to beat. There would be no smile on a mother’s face as she gazes into the eyes of her newborn baby, or the love of a father as he shares a dance with his daughter on her wedding day. None of this would be significant. So, if this constant that embodies our life is so important, why do we fail to express our love? This word tends to scare people, but why?
Many people feel as though this word is only appropriate to use after a long-term relationship, whether that be by blood, friendship, or romance. In reality, these three simple words, “I love you,” can save a heart from its suffering. Take the time to tell a coworker, peer, sibling, or just about anyone that you love them because life is too short to regret not saying these few words. Stop being scared and start to be grateful. You must remember that “…people are only guests in your story, the same way you are only a guest in theirs, so make the chapters worth reading” (Lauren Klarfeld).
We only have a limited amount of time before our game of poker comes to an end. So let your opponents know you’re there to help them play their hand because in the end, we’re all playing the same game differently. Some are losing, while others may be winning. But no matter what, our hearts are beating, and the next hand is coming.
To whoever is reading this, “I love you.”
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