Where does “love” come from?

This ancient feeling which wraps its soft arms around each individual and lights their

heart up with it’s bright, beautiful charms?

Love, like stars, comes in many forms,

it burns differently for each person

and it helps guide them through storms

Love comes from meeting a girl on orientation day

“I love you glasses!” She says, giving me a smile

“And I love your hair!” I happily exclaim

As we sit down for lunch, our life stories spill out

never before I had felt so comfortable with another

never before had I stopped feeling anxious doubts

We converse like we’re friends of long standing

except I have never met this girl in my life

our connection transcends all understanding

Love comes from meeting three more people,

with their fantastical and kind imaginations

having them in class made me gleeful

I’d get dinner with two of them after class

we complain about art school and the horrible food

but we’d smile and laugh at our own creative sass

Love comes from introducing everybody I met to each other

like a puzzle waiting to be solved, the last piece found its home

now we were all happily stuck with one another

Two more came into our chaotic little group

both humorous and wonderfully creative

it felt like we finally found our troupe

Love comes from staying up until three in the morning

our drawing assignments are due first thing at eight

but we’re too busy goofing off and ignore the warning

The ice cold Michigan days bite at our poorly covered skin

but that doesn’t stop us from awkwardly waltzing

to our favorite bubble tea shop with big grins

Friday’s are reserved for us to grab real food

the restaurants in Detroit serve us with more,

with stupid memories and perfect moods

They showed me what platonic love feels like

what it means to have best friends and

never have our conversations turn into fights

Ah, romantic love, how could I forget?

after all, it’s what everyone anticipates, they

impatiently wait for exactly what they expect

Except, this love comes differently than it is told

the rush of a first date feels electrifying in almost the worst way

but then later this feeling fades into the cold

Comfort replaces the anxiousness in my stomach

he squeezes my hand as we look at different paintings

we both decided on the art museum, even if it was sudden

He understands my political beliefs, he shares mine

how wonderful it feels to not have to fight my case

to speak intelligently without the male ego to whine

Then there is the infamous, awaited first kiss

it was sweet and awkward, as a first time should

but then he pulled away and smiled, what perfect bliss

Love comes from the ethereal ability to listen and play music

Vivaldi and Chopin fills my soul with burning passion

that sets my imagination aflame, so beautifully therapeutic

Saint-Saens and Debussy inspire humor and simple beauty

the perfection and imperfection of humanity

in their work is amazingly graceful and unruly

But what about the way my body feels electrified

when I play music and hear the melody and harmonies

create a symphony of sound which is amplified

By my need to hear the compositions again and again

to feel that flame ignite in my chest and envelop

my very being until there is nothing left.

Love comes from drawing cubes for three weeks

my lines are shaky and my perspective is questionable

but by December my lines are straight and charcoal coats my cheeks

I finally finished my very first animation

I drew out about 12 frames to make a ball bounce

then I played my video back and almost fell over from elation

I was careful to draw in proper weight and physics

as I watched the ball bounce on repeat I laughed

I did it, I broke out of my forced oppressive limits

I faced judgment and laughter for my college choice

wasn’t I wasting my life pursing animation?

no, I knew because watching a my ball bounce made me rejoice

Love comes from watching interviews with

animators, composers, and film directors,

imagining yourself there not as a myth

But as a fellow creative with something to give,

knowing I too am offered a seat at the table for my work

these studios are where I’d finally get to live

Love comes from the warm, familiar feeling of colleagues

walking in everyday and seeing their happy but exhausted faces

showing off their work, trying to become somebodies

Everyday I’m glad I didn’t wait and go elsewhere

I am the luckiest person alive to work with my friends

don’t worry, you guys, there’s room for all of us out there

Love comes from writing stories that uplift others

and from writing my emotions begging to burst

out of me and show the world my wonders

So what about this ancient feeling that’s wrapped

it’s soft arms around me and lit up my heart

with its bright, beautiful charm?

Love, like stars, comes in many different forms

it burns differently for each person

so make sure to bask in its warmth