people are always trying to tell me what love is

they say love is commitment
in the way a person is willing to share their entire life with you

they say love is passion
in the way a person acts so intensely and spontaneously

they say love is destiny
in the way two people are simply meant to be

yet,
i am astonished as to how people
can define love in so little words

**** brevity

love deserves a never-ending flourish of beauty

love deserves a waterfall of
arresting, lengthy, one-million-dollar words

i feel love in the way
the stars twinkle
and comets zoom
as he holds my hand and lays on his back

i feel love in the way
the ocean crashes
and the sun soaks into my skin
on a particularly wonderful beach day

i feel love in the way
my best friend cares for me
how she brings me cookie dough
at the best and worst times

i feel love in the way
he talks to me,

in the way he messes with me,
teases me,
indulges me

i feel love in the way
his crystal blue eyes
shine with joy and pride
when i save a ball
or ace an interview

i feel love in all the people around me

i feel love through my friends, family, and peers

i feel loved

and that feeling cannot be defined by one single word or even a sentence.