To Know Love, You Must Know Heartbreak

Being in love is arguably the greatest thing that can happen to someone; there is nothing better than finding someone who completes you. When you meet this person, you won't remember how you ever lived without him or her. Being in love, you transform into someone new.

You trust this person more than any person in your life. That's why you offer something so valuable: your heart. You trust this person with every secret. With tears in your eyes, you share dark secrets from your past that still haunt you, and your partner accepts you, regardless.

But, to fully experience all that love entails requires you to see the other end of the spectrum.

You will never appreciate love as much as those who have full experienced it, and you will never believe in its power until your world turns completely upside down with two words: "It's over." When you get your heart broken, no amount of alcohol or talking about it, or anything else can make you feel better.

To love is to become vulnerable to the awful things it can bring: crying yourself to sleep every night, overanalyzing, listening to the most depressing music ever, talking about it to anyone who will listen.

To know love, we must know heartbreak. As much as I wish people never had to feel heartbreak, it's vital to successful relationships. You took the risk once, well aware that this could happen. Looking back, it is still the best thing that ever happened to you, despite the pain.

Love and heartbreak are on two ends of the same spectrum; to know one, you must know the other. Know that if you are feeling sad and in the dark, things can only get better and brighter.