The Ways I Know How to Love
Alternate Title: Fire and Ice
See, I love like fire.
A hot, burning, all encompassing kind of love that can be
the warmth that gives you life,
and the security you need,
or it can burn down villages
until we’re the only two people left standing among the desolation.
It might be a slow burn,
planned and controlled,
or I could love you fast and hard
like an all consuming wildfire,
leaving only embers in the end.
But rest assured, you’ll never feel a love
the same as if I love you like fire
Now if I love you like fire,
you’re one of the lucky ones.
If you walk into my life and allow me
to love you like fire,
with the passion and intensity that everyone craves,
and surround you until you see nothing
but the calming fire,
instead of the smoke,
you’re lucky-
because I can only love you like fire
once
Once my fire for you is all burned up,
the only way I can love you again
is like ice.
Ice is healing, when applied correctly
and it’s a craving you long for.
A measure of comfort,
that is, until it outstays its welcome
and the skin around your wound
goes numb and starts to turn purple.
See I can love you like healing-
when I love for a second time-
but under the surface, there are still wounds that ice won’t fix,
and no matter how bad the burn was,
if you apply ice for too long,
you’ll only worsen the damage.
See I only know two ways to love,
well in actuality: three.
You can come around once,
and let me love you like fire,
and while we may see each other everyday,
share laughter and kind exchanges,
or we may pass like ships in the night,
you’ll only get fire once.
One of us will get burned, because that’s what happens when you play with fire.
You can come around a second time,
and let me love you like ice,
mistrusting,
hurt,
and left nursing wounds from the first time,
but believing that any love is better than no love,
and love is strong enough to heal,
as is ice.
But inevitably the ice will melt,
or you’ll be left with purple limbs.
But the third kind of love is the love I’ve noticed is most common.
When fire has burned down
and ice has melted
the only option left is to love enough
to walk away.
And believe me, when fire and ice are gone,
you won’t get a chance for me
to love you a third time.
About the Creator
Lily Winter
Hello! I am an eighteen year old university student, and avid writer. To learn more about me, check out my instagram-
Personal: @lily_winter4722
Business: @lily_winter_writes
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