Recently I have had reason to consider what love is. How do you know if a person loves you truly, with more than just easy words? How do you show someone you love them with more than a catch phrase or heart emoji? The answer has become very clear, so obvious that I wonder why it took me so long to put it into words.

If you love someone, you show up. You take time out of your life, rearrange your schedule, do whatever is necessary to be there for them, wherever there is. If someone loves you, they show up. When you have an event of pure joy or pure heartache, they are there.

Love means showing up. Sometimes, all it can be is a phone call. Setting aside the time from a busy day to call and say, ‘I know this is hard for you.’ Not ‘I know this is hard for you, but let me tell you what I’m going through.’ Just the quiet words, ‘I’m here. Tell me what’s going on.’

Not always easy in practice, but I’m going to keep trying. I love a lot of people.

Do they know it?