In countless romantic movies, love is portrayed as an unstoppable force, the one thing capable of overcoming all obstacles. The truth, however, is far more complex. While love can sometimes move mountains, other times, it simply hits a wall—one so high and impenetrable that not even grand gestures can scale it. In those moments, all you can do is sit quietly in the shadow of that wall, trying to find comfort in its stillness.
Heartbreak often feels like an open wound, raw and relentless. In its most intense moments, it will feel unbearable—like a searing pain that you can’t escape from, no matter how hard you try. You might want to crawl into bed, pull the covers over your head, and wish for the world to stop turning, even if just for a little while. The pain can be so overwhelming that you’ll find yourself longing for anything that might provide relief, whether that be vengeance, sympathy, or simply a moment of peace.
But then, there are the days when you wake up with a strange sense of clarity. The sting isn’t as sharp, the tears aren’t as frequent, and in some way, you find yourself embracing the resignation that comes after the storm. In these moments, you might throw yourself into work, into tasks both big and small, attempting to trick your mind into believing that the ache has disappeared. It’s a temporary escape, but it’s one that can provide just enough of a break from the pain to help you move forward.
And then, there are the nights when you find solace in the company of a friend, or perhaps in the solitude of a blank page. It’s during these moments that the heartache spills out, untethered and raw. The details, the emotions, the things you’ve been too afraid or too proud to voice before—these all come pouring out in waves over the rim of a coffee cup or a glass of wine. It’s messy, it’s emotional, and it’s real. And in that vulnerability, there’s a strange kind of healing.
The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to deal with heartbreak. Some days, it will feel like an endless battle, a journey through the darkest of tunnels. Other days, it will feel like a slow process of peeling back layers, one tear at a time. There will be times when you feel completely numb, and others when you’re overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. All of these reactions are valid. All of these responses are part of the journey. And most importantly, they are all part of what keeps you going.
Heartbreak is not something that can be fixed with a single act of bravery or a single conversation. It’s a process—a difficult, sometimes agonizing process—that takes time. And though the pain may not disappear overnight, it will eventually fade, as all things do. In its place will be a new understanding of yourself and your resilience, an awareness that you have lived through something that nearly broke you, but didn’t.
So, when you’re lost in the overwhelming pain of heartbreak, remember that it’s okay to feel it all. It’s okay to retreat into your own space, to distract yourself with tasks, to vent with friends, or to cry it all out alone. All of these things are part of the healing process, and no matter how chaotic or painful the journey might be, every step you take brings you closer to the peace and understanding you’re searching for. In the end, heartbreak may be the thing that teaches you the most about love—both the love you had and the love you will one day find again.
