Love and Be Loved

The last few days people keep saying things that have really caught my attention concerning love and I just can't ignore my thoughts any longer. In the last week I have had 3 of my friends get engaged! This is crazy and exciting and I can't be happier for them. They have found Love!! Isn't that what we all want? I know I do. Love.. What a strange idea though. I guess until I experience its a concept quite like "Forever" Just a difficult concept to fully grasp. I mean, What does that even mean? And what does it even mean to Love?
A recent conversation I had with a friend led me to the conclusion that we have to love ourselves first, before we can expect anyone to love us in return. This friend, was struggling with a girl that he liked and was willing to fight for her and make it work, and she...well.. wasn't. The worst part in all of this was that he blamed himself. "People fight for things worth fighting for" he told me. This absolutely tore me to pieces.
He is worth it. I am worth it. We are ALL WORTH FIGHTING FOR!! If your love doesn't think you worthy to fight for, they are NOT WORTH IT! and You DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER!!
Why are we so hard on ourselves? I realized as I was telling him this, that I was being a hypocrite. Being down on myself and blaming myself for the lack of love I get from others? Guilty! I need to take my own advice. I have to love myself, and be confident in MYSELF before I can expect any devotion or love from anyone. I mean, come on people, lets be realistic here... Not everyone is going to Love you, or even Like you, but if a person cannot accept you fully and completely exactly the way you are, you don't belong together. That is my personal opinion anyways, take it or leave it.
I was dating a guy there for a while who I thought I was completely in love with. He made me better. He made me stronger, and I absolutely loved talking to him, and the way he made me feel. When he told me he didn't feel the same way anymore, I was devastated, I still cared so deeply for him and he had moved on. After everything I've heard and the thinking that I have done the last few days, I realized and accepted the fact that... if it didn't work out, it wasn't meant to be.
Why settle for someone who doesn't love you as much as you love them. Why settle for someone you have to convince to love you? NEVER settle for LESS than You DESERVE.
So what does it mean to love and be loved? I guess to me, Love is trust. Love is Giving myself to someone completely. Love is wanting to be with them always. Love is someone who makes me a better person. Love is friendship. Love is appreciation for each other. Love is acceptance of every flaw. Love is priceless. Love is compromise.
In Closing ..From Moulin Rouge
The Greatest thing you'll ever learn is to just Love, and Be Loved in Return.
-Jacqueline Grena