SUMMER

Summer of Love

by Bea Cuenco

It’s the summer of love! In movie language, the idea of love in the summertime is captured through moments of intimacy, warmth, and companionship –oftentimes paired with a special somebody. Whether it’s due to market demand, mass craving for escapism and fantasy, or cultural influence, the fixation on romance as the main form of love in our collective consciousness will continue to feed our yearning for romance this summer. Does the chase for romance, however, have to dictate our satisfaction with life?

Believe me, I find it quite shocking that someone like me, a hopeless romantic, is preaching against romantic love. I’ve had my own struggles in finding authentic love in the age of cheap love marketed in dating apps. One day, however, sitting in my own sadness due to my perpetual longing for romance, I realized that my inner void from finding love only came from this constant wallowing that I grew comfortable with. I no longer wanted to wait for someone else to love me in order for me to start feeling like I was worthy of love. It was difficult to accept the hard truth that no one else could give me the love that I so badly desired. Trust me, I blamed every aspect about myself to pinpoint the reason for my lack of a love life. I knew that I needed to believe that romance is not the form of love that I am destined to lean into at this time of my life.

Our relationships with the idea of love become much clearer once we de-center romance as its primary form. Love encompasses various dimensions beyond romantic love. Familial love, platonic love, selflove, agape love (which transcends individualistic love), and spiritual love are some examples of unique expressions of affection, support, and connection. These are all different forms of love that shape our relationships, personal growth, and overall wellbeing – and I can only hope that by educating ourselves on these different areas, we can learn to have a healthier mindset about love and know that love chooses each and every one of us.

Familial love, the bond between family members, is a type of love that exists within the framework of