by: Robert Millay

The key to love is understanding…

the ability to comprehend

not only the spoken word,

but those unspoken gestures –

the little things that say

so much by themselves.

The key to love is forgiveness…

the capacity to accept each other’s faults

and pardon mistakes,

without forgetting –

but by remembering

what you learn from them.

The key to love is trust…

through dark doubts

lay in hollowed thoughts,

it must shine on brightly

with reassuring radiance

that suppresses fear with faith.

The key to love is sharing…

facing your good fortunes

as well as the bad, together –

both conquering problems and

forever searching for ways

to intensify your happiness.

The key to love is giving…

without thought of return,

but with the hope of

just a simple smile

and by giving in, but never up.

The key to love is respect…

realizing that you are

two separate people

with different ideas –

that you don’t belong to each other,

but that you belong with each other

and share a mutual bond.

The key to love is inside us all…

it takes time and patience

to unlock all the ingredients

that will take you to its threshold;

it is a continual learning process

that demands a lot of work…

but the rewards are more than

worth the effort…