For The Big-Hearted Humans
Your love makes this world better.
How do you harden your heart?
It’s a question that I’ve been asked multiple times lately — in many different forms: How do you harden your heart? How do you protect your heart from heartbreak? How do you move on from something that broke your heart into a million pieces? How do you stop it from happening again?
Years ago, when I was reeling from heartbreak, I told my Dad through sobs and snot and messy tears that I didn’t want to care about people anymore.
I told him that I was tired of loving the way I did and giving my heart so freely and that it was time for me to treat others the way they treated me.
It was at that moment when he hugged me, and said, “But Megan, your big heart is one of the most beautiful things about you. Don’t you dare let the awful people of the world change that.”
Those words have carried me through more sad days than I can count. They have been the balm to my weary spirit, the water that quenches my tired bones. Those words have been my light when I was wandering in the dark.
Those words are there for you too.
You, the one with the big heart and the soft spirit — that softness is like a bit of magic in a world that thrives on cement and steel.
You, the one who wears their heart on their sleeve and gives love as easily as they breathe — your love is a breath of fresh air to more thank you know.
You, the one who loves deeply, and beautifully, and with all of their being — the magnitude of your love makes others feel seen.
Yes, you.
Your heart is one of the most beautiful things about you — it is big, bold, and it holds the dreams of all the stars in the sky and the softness of all that is good in this world. Please don’t ever let the world shrink it.
Please don’t try to harden it or hide behind words of indifference or hate.
The way you love others makes this world better.
The way you care about people and places and things is what makes this world brighter.
You give your whole heart to them, and that’s a gift to all who know you — even if they are not part of your forever picture. Because of you, they know what love feels like, looks like, and sounds like — that’s something that sticks.
You share your love about the things you love — and because of that, people become inspired. People are intrigued. There is no small talk with you — there are deeply rooted thoughts and feelings and ponderings about everything, and those roots make others want to dig deeper. It makes them want to plant some seeds and stay still until they see what blooms. It makes them want to climb great heights. It makes them want to stand on that ledge of vulnerability and see who walks out to stand beside them.
The love you hold within you can light the world ablaze with joy — and it would be a tragedy to let someone else take that spark.
Keep your flame burning and your heart open, and to hell with the ones who want to smother your spark.
