Love is such a complex concept, and oftentimes, it causes a lot of drama. Take for example celebrity couple Gerald Anderson and Bea Alonzo, whose relationship was rumored to be on the rocks when the former unfollowed the latter on Instagram (but has since followed him again). Around the same time, the actress also unfollowed Pia Wurtzbach, Anderson’s latest leading lady, on the social media platform. As a result, a lot of fans were quick to point fingers on the beauty queen, even though on the surface, the relationship between Wurzbach and Anderson has been nothing more than a mere friendship.
This controversy sheds a light on how limited people’s views of love seem to be. It’s become too common and immediate to associate the L-word with romantic relationships. One might argue that there is love between Anderson and Wurtzbach, but it is only platonic. Unfortunately, people forget that it is possible for two (attractive) people to connect deeply without having to be romantically involved. Love is not always about romance, because love can be exhibited in the form of friendship and mutual respect too.
Additionally, there’s familial love—a kind that may arguably be stronger than romance. Bea Alonzo herself emphasized this type of love when she referred to her mother as “my constant” in an Instagram post of the two during their Tokyo vacation last Holy Weekend. It may be because so much commotion surrounded her romantic love life, that she reminded her fans that love for family is equally important and everlasting.
Another example is self-love—an important type that everyone needs to remember. Loving one’s self ensures survival, especially in today’s age of social media where it’s so easy to be judged, or compared, or even bullied if you’re not a certain type of way. If you love yourself, you know who you really are, accept your worth, and settle for nothing less. The wholeness one feels from self-love may be more empowering and fulfilling than any romantic love can ever give. Ever since Alonzo became the center of the controversy, she hasn’t made much comments. Instead, she has chosen to take care of herself and focus on her career. She showed that she is more than her love life, and that she has the confidence to live her life authentically without having to justify herself.
The over-romanticization of love and its many forms is dangerous, as evidenced by the controversy conjured up by Anderson and Wurtzbach’s newfound friendship. Love is not only one concept, it has a lot of layers to it —from your relationship with another person, the bond you have with your family, to understanding who you truly are.
What about you? Which part of love do you like the most? And which do you think you already have?
