By Caroline Erskine

I tell my dad a story about my friends. 

Some little drama where a girl says “I Love You” and her boy doesn’t say it back. 

He laughs because we are so young.

“She doesn’t mean it,” he says, “How long have they been together? That isn’t love.” 

“I know,” I agree, “but she doesn’t know that.”

Who are we to define love for other people? 

We may be young. 

She may not love him in the way you love. 

But I doubt I love in the way you love, either. 

In 10 years she will look back and know that she did not love him. 

But the truth is, she did. 

I look back and I know that I have never been in love. 

I also know that I have loved more times than I can count.

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Caroline Erskine (she/her) ‘28 is a magazine, news and digital journalism major. She enjoys writing in both her personal and academic life. In her free time, she enjoys thrifting, watching sitcoms, and playing her ukulele.