M,
There is such a hunger for love in the human heart. It never lets up. It can be advertised as the sole purpose of a broken or splintered heart. It is the underlying focus of all our lives. We just have synonyms to replace the fact: to be understood, to be respected, to be regarded, to be left alone, to not be left alone and for someone who is always able and willing to ask: “are you okay?”
There is no shame in hunger. It is a call for nutrients more than anything else. It is the way we find meaning in our existence. We need to be understood, to be respected, to be regarded, solitude, company and for someone to care enough to ask after our wellbeing. Love as a worldview is a beautiful thing. This has not always come easy to my mind. My romantic grandiosity has frequently focused on feelings and not acts. I began to learn, with you and my mid 30s, the comfort of love.
It may not still the hungry heart but it is a marker for what it really wants. The odd shadow that illuminates the path away from that note you once heard in your heart that you want to replay all your life. It may seem that is not enough, at moments, but that is not actually true. You are still learning how to receive it. I am still learning how to receive it.