February 2026 "The Role of Love" by Anapaula Ochoa

I have always wondered about the role I play in other people’s lives. Do they perceive me the way I perceive them? Do they think of me as frequently as I do them? I am often described as a selfless and responsible person, but I fail to see those qualities within myself. I do things for others without expecting things in return, however I always assumed this to be a common quality. As I have found out, it is a noble quality and is scarcer than I thought. I am responsible for plenty of things, especially within my family. I drive my siblings to school daily, buy them the things they need, such as medicine or hygiene products, and never expect anything in return. Do these traits I carry make me worthy of being perceived as noble? Perhaps they should just be common qualities in people. Do the things I do for others make me worthy of being loved? What does it mean to be loved?

To this day, I struggle with these questions in my mind, as the thoughts race through my mind to observe the bigger picture. Love is such a complex subject; however, I am positive I have experienced it. I experience it in the way I miss my sister’s presence, in the way I am excited to see my best friends (especially when I get to give them gifts!), and in the way my siblings express their gratitude for all I do. Love is the way I feel seen by my dear companions, where they see the things I thought were hidden. It is in the way trust and connections are formed between individuals. It is in platonic connections that I understand the concept of love, since I consider romantic love a foreign concept. Learning to accept this love from my friends and family has made my role so much clearer. I was placed in the lives of others to guide and to love those around me.

The people in my life make it easy to understand love, and for that I am grateful. They have paved the path for me to begin to see my own worth, which is something I have always struggled with. They have taught me that it is worth being vulnerable and opening my heart to the emotions other people have for me. Love is truly a beautiful thing, whether it is platonic or romantic. It is the foundation that builds human connection and sprouts the pure seeds of what makes life so valuable. Over and over again I smile at the experiences in my life that have allowed me to comprehend such love, like the way my sister trusts me with her secrets and worries, my friends that have seen every version of me and still don’t turn away, and in the way my cat Megatron lays on my bed and provides me with the best company so I feel a little less alone.

For those afraid to love, know you are perfectly valid in your fears. I am afraid of it too, even now. Love can hurt, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort and communication, but it is worth it nonetheless. You have to take the bad that comes with the good. The risk is what makes it worthwhile because there is the possibility of a reward so wealthy it cannot be fabricated. Happy Valentine’s Day!