The Love Stories We Forgot to Tell
Have you ever fallen in love? Don’t answer yet, read this first.
We often think about falling in love as something reserved for romantic relationships—a dizzying whirlwind of emotions, passion, and theatrical magic.
But what if that same feeling, that gravitational pull we attribute to romance, exists elsewhere?
What if falling in love simply means experiencing a spark of human connection?
This piece isn’t about love in the way most movies or novels tell it. It’s about the thrill of friendship—the kind that shakes you, shapes you, and sometimes leaves you just as breathless.
It’s about the rush of being seen, the bravery of opening up, and the quiet joy of realising you’ve found a kindred spirit.
Because maybe falling in love doesn’t always have to mean romance. Maybe sometimes, it’s simply finding someone who sprinkles stardust onto routine moments of your life.
1. Love at First Sight
Sometimes, the beginning of a friendship feels less like a choice and more like a moment of recognition. That spark—often fleeting but unforgettable—is what some might call love at first sight.
A magnetic draw to someone.
A feeling of acknowledgment and curiosity that flows effortlessly.
A pleasant surprise.
Love at first sight may not be experienced by everyone. However, I believe it is real - Maybe just not in the way that most of us interpret it.
Love at first sight may be a bundle feeling of attraction and familiarity. May it be pheromones or the fact that they remind you of someone you already know - It seems to occur with romantic interests as well as friendships.
It feels like a draw towards someone that your soul has known before or could be destined to know thereafter.
2. The Stars Align
But what happens after that magnetic pull? True connection goes beyond the spark—it’s the alignment of moments, circumstances, hearts, and spirits that make it meaningful.
It’s not the basic feeling of meeting any new person, just as it’s not the rush of simply travelling anywhere foreign.
It’s the thrill of discovering a new place you can call home - It’s the rush of life when you meet the right person for the first time.
It’s both alien and familiar.
Imagine a new flavour you’ve never tasted or a new colour you cannot see. To think about the next time you will fall in love is the same: unfathomable within the reality that exists, but entirely fitting and in place when it occurs.
It’s the feeling of the stars aligning. Right place, right person, right time - Just as relevant for friendships as it is for romance.
3. The Butterflies of Being Seen
Once the stars align, the magic of human connection lies in being truly seen. It is in those small moments when someone mirrors your thoughts, anticipates your needs, or surprises you with their understanding.
When we reach out and our bids for connection are met with warmth and grace, our walls are cracked open and light flows through. The sharing of sparkles between souls may be the essence of the butterfly flutters in our bodies.
Being seen and reciprocating interest are both acts of bravery and vulnerability - Two endeavours that are essential for deep interpersonal relationships, and which allow friendships to transform us in unexpected ways.
4. Self Evolution
And so, the beauty of falling in love thus far is shown in how it makes us feel. However, I will play with the idea that is it also unveiled in how it changes us too.
Stumbling upon people and falling in love with our new connections can sometimes help us to unearth ourselves. Part of the love we feel for a new individual could very well be a sprinkle of infatuation for our own self-discovery and evolution.
Being in love may be about ourselves just as much as it is about the other person.
One action and one person have the profound potential to change our lives completely. Powerful friendships challenge us just as much as they enrich our lives. The parallels to a romantic relationship in these respects are uncanny, don’t you think?
When we are whirling in the tornado of beautiful chaos that is falling in love, I like to believe we are braver, kinder, and more inspired. It lights a fire in our bellies that make the hard things seem easy, and brings the unfathomable within reach. As a result, we shine brighter.
These are also elements that arise when making new friends.
The Romance of Friendship
Friendship, at its core, is a love story in its own right—one just as transformative, breathtaking, and profound as romance. It is diverse and multifaceted, weaving together threads of vulnerability, joy, and self-discovery.
Falling in love, whether with a friend or a partner, is a concoction of equal parts excitement and comfort—a delicate balance of the thrill of something new and the warmth of feeling understood by someone you didn’t see coming.
It asks us to embody openness to the unknown while trusting in the resilience of our connection. It reminds us that love, in all its forms, has the power to change us, to help us grow, and to fill the spaces we didn’t know were empty.
If falling in love is not bound by romance, if it is instead the quiet magic of human connection, then perhaps the greatest love stories of our lives are constantly unfolding all around us.
And so I’ll ask again; have you ever fallen in love?
I have read this piece. 5/3/26, 6:10 AM.
Beautiful writing, Kayli! Love it. Thanks for sharing. 🙏🏼