When No One's Asking; When No One's Looking.

Blurred Lines

I’ve always been someone who shows affection through physical touch. I’ll hug my friends, hold their hands, maybe even kiss their cheeks, and it’s never felt weird or out of place. To me, love is something that doesn’t need to be confined to a specific type of relationship. It’s just how I express how much I care for the people in my life. And I do care for them, deeply.

But when it comes to romance, it’s... tricky. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I’m not sure where to draw the line.

I’ve been wondering, what even is romance? The world makes it seem so clear-cut—romantic gestures, hand-holding, kissing, and all that. But to me, it feels like I already do those things with my friends, and I don’t see it as something that’s exclusive to a romantic relationship. It’s just how I show affection. So when I think about having a romantic partner, I can’t help but question if the way I express my feelings will seem confusing to them.

I want to love my romantic partner in the same way I love my friends—openly, honestly, and with affection. But I also understand that society has these unspoken rules about what romantic love should look like, and I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or misunderstood. I want to figure out how to navigate this space where love isn’t just a label, but something that feels real and true to who I am.

It’s not about wanting to blur boundaries or make romance feel like something casual. It’s more about me not being able to tell where the line is, and if it’s okay that I feel comfortable showing affection to the people I love, whether they’re my friends or a potential partner. I don’t want to overthink it or make it more complicated than it needs to be. But at the same time, I don’t want to be misunderstood.

When I think about liking someone romantically, it’s not about feeling this intense, magnetic attraction like I’ve been told romance is supposed to feel. It’s more about wanting to care for them, to show them affection, and maybe even kiss them—but in the same way I might hug a close friend, just because I think they’re wonderful. It’s a confusing feeling, because I’m not sure if that’s what romantic love is supposed to look like.

Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe I just need to accept that there’s room for all types of love, and that romance, for me, doesn’t need to follow the same rules as it does for others. It’s okay if my way of showing affection looks a little different. Maybe that’s just what it means for me to love someone.