I didn’t grow up with the kind of childhood most people imagine. My brother and I were separated into foster homes at a young age. He was lucky—he went to a family that cared. I went through four different homes in three years, and each one left me feeling smaller and more unwanted.
Eventually, a woman named Ms. Ripley saw the scars on my body and decided I deserved better. She fought for me. She gave me a home, not because it was easy, but because she believed I belonged somewhere. She raised me through hardship, loss, and grief, and yet still managed to fill my life with love, laughter, and the affirmation that I was worthy. Her words—“You’re smart. You’re strong. You belong.”—still echo in me.
Because of her, I grew up believing that real love isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up. It’s about choosing someone, even when it’s hard, and giving them the kind of steady presence that can heal old wounds.
Now, as an adult, I find myself longing for that same kind of love in a relationship. Not a fairy tale, not perfection, but something real. I want a partner who I can build a life with, someone who sees me for who I am—the good, the scars, the flaws—and still wants to stay.
I want a love that feels like home. Someone to share small, ordinary moments with: cooking dinner together, walking hand-in-hand, late-night conversations when the world is quiet. Someone whose presence feels like safety, but whose touch also sparks fire.
I don’t crave the superficial; I crave intimacy. The closeness where words aren’t even necessary, where just being near each other says everything. I want the kind of relationship where we grow together, support each other, and create a safe place where both of us can truly belong.
I know now that love has the power to change everything. It changed me as a child. And I believe it can change me again, in the form of a partner who’s ready to love deeply, passionately, and sincerely.
I’m not searching for a perfect person. I’m searching for a connection. A love that heals, strengthens, and lasts.
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