Luna Echoes

Funny how love can feel so right at first…
Until one day, you realize you’re the only one holding it together.

We all like to believe we’d never settle. That we’d walk away the moment we saw a red flag. That we’d never find ourselves begging someone to love us right. But when you’re the one who’s actually in love, things don’t feel so black and white anymore.

The lines blur. You start making excuses you never thought you’d make. You hold on a little longer, wait a little harder, bend a little more—just for the hope that maybe things will feel like they used to. That maybe they’ll come back to you, the way they were.

But what happens when that love starts to shift? When what once felt safe slowly turns distant? The comfort fades, the spark dulls, and all that passion becomes routine. You catch yourself wondering if they still look at you the same—or if you still look at them the same. And yet, you don’t leave.

Instead, you stay. You try harder. You tell yourself this is just a phase, that all couples hit bumps. You convince yourself it’ll pass. That if you just love enough, it’ll be enough.

And maybe that’s the wildest part about love—it makes you believe in things you once swore you’d never fall for. You start overlooking the signs. That quiet voice in your gut, the one whispering that something’s off? You hush it. You smile, nod, and tell your friends, “We’re just figuring things out,” when in truth, you’re trying to figure yourself out too. How did it even get to this point? Why does it still hurt, even when nothing technically went wrong?

When it’s your heart on the line, everything you used to say with confidence starts to crack. You’ve told your friends a hundred times not to settle, not to let things slide. But suddenly, you’re the one doing exactly that. You start justifying things. Your logic, the one that used to guide you so clearly, slips quietly into the background.

And still, you stay.

You forgive what you once called unforgivable. You hand out second chances like maybe this time it’ll be different. But it never really is. And at night, it all loops in your head—the arguments, the silences, the moments you wish you could rewind and do over. You rewrite the story in your mind, soften the sharp edges, just to make it sting a little less.

Because the truth is, we keep choosing them. Even when they stopped choosing us the same way a long time ago.

Why?

Because love—real or not—is something we all crave. To be loved. To be seen. To be chosen. It gives life color. It makes the ordinary feel special. It makes the hard days a little softer. It makes us feel alive in ways nothing else can.

So even when it’s painful, we hold on. We tell ourselves it’ll get better. That if we just try a little harder, be a little more patient, fix a few more things—it’ll all fall back into place. That love will find its way again. That they’ll look at us like they used to. That we’ll feel safe again.

Sometimes, that hope keeps us going. Sometimes, it keeps us stuck.

But how do you really let go of someone who once felt like home? It’s not like you wake up and the feelings disappear. It doesn’t work that way. The heartbreak itself isn’t even the worst part—it’s the confusion that comes with it. You start asking yourself things you can’t answer. Is this still love? Or am I just holding on because I’m scared of being without them? Am I staying because it feels right… or because I’m afraid to start again?

Nobody really tells you how to unlove someone who’s still in your heart. There’s no manual for the kind of sadness that doesn’t scream—but lingers quietly. So you do what you have to. You show up, act okay, smile when you need to. Then you go home and let it all fall apart when no one’s watching. And the worst part? Even when you feel invisible, you keep choosing them. Over and over. Even when they’ve stopped choosing you.

Because that’s what love does.

It breaks you, heals you, teaches you, and tests you. Sometimes all at once.

So, how far can you go for love?

Maybe the better question is: How far can you go for yourself… when love stops feeling like love?