Love is an integral part of the human experience, but no two people will ever have the same experience with love. Each person has an individual idea. Some of those ideas overlap while others are starkly different, but different doesn’t mean wrong or bad, it just might not be what you expect.

One very complex part of loving is the type of love you feel. You can love family, friends, activities, experiences, and a special someone, and all of that is still love, just a different type. Not all people want or even need romantic love. Some people are more focused on the love for friends or family, some share their love for a certain activity or interest and some people love someone romantically. These are all valid expressions at different levels.

For romantic relationships, love is difficult at times, and a key instigator is the reality of a romance. We see couples instantly fall in love with a dreamy meet-cute in movies, read about destined romances in books and watch celebrities talk about their “perfect” relationship with a partner, but these are only one side of the story. Some romantic relationships take work, and when a person goes into that relationship with unrealistic ideas, it can lead to a great despair known as heartbreak. Communicating your expectations and boundaries is imperative to allowing you and your partner to have a safe space to be emotionally and physically vulnerable.

One universal truth across all forms of love is the fact that people are at different places in their lives, and that the place you’re at may not fit with others. This doesn’t make people bad friends or partners, and it doesn’t mean there’s no hope for a relationship. You just have to acknowledge and put effort into working towards being in a similar place as the other person. People have reasons for wanting – or not wanting – a relationship with another person, and the reasons for that can be complicated or incredibly simple. Respecting them and their boundaries is the first step towards having trust in any relationship and helping others be built up, not shut down. We as people have to learn that we all love in different ways; that’s what makes each person’s love beautiful.