Love is a transformative and powerful force that can define how we can not only view others, but the world. It is not born from perfection, but from the understanding and acceptance from our own complexities. We are not always taught to love ourselves in a way that is gentle and nurturing. My upbringing is one that made me question what love was and if I ever felt it or will feel it. My parents went through their divorce when I was young and it felt like a knife going through my heart; feeling as if the love from my parents was slipping away all together. It put an emotional toll on me, watching two people that I love slowly disconnect from each other left me feeling abandoned, unsure of where I stood in their lives. Divorce leads to a ripple effect of sadness, confusion, and anger. The stability that I once knew was replaced by tension and distance. My parents were busy being consumed by their own pain, that the space that I once knew to be filled with care and affection felt hollow. Made me question if they still loved me or if they loved me in the same way. This made me question if love was ever meant for me. The quiet thoughts that grow stronger as time and trauma goes on. It is easy to internalize these feelings and convince myself that something is wrong with me. I look around and see others effortlessly loved, while I am in the shadows of others. I have friends and family that try and show me that effortless love, but that inner voice in my head tries to tell me otherwise. This project is a representation that there is effortless love out there, you just have to go out there and look for yourself. Maybe it is in the most unexpected of places or right in front of you. No matter what one has gone through in their life, they are bound to find someone worth living for.

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