Maybe It’s Not Love… Maybe It’s Compassion

Sometimes, what we think is love is really something else entirely.

It can feel warm, protective, and selfless you care deeply for someone, you want them to be okay, you want to ease their pain. You stay through the storms, make excuses for the hurt, and convince yourself it’s because you’re in love.

But maybe… it’s not love.

Maybe it’s compassion.

Compassion makes you want to heal someone’s wounds, even if it means breaking yourself in the process. It whispers, “They’ve been through so much, they just need understanding.” It keeps you hoping for the day they finally change, even when they’ve shown you they won’t.

Love, on the other hand, is mutual. It’s not just about helping someone survive it’s about thriving together. Love requires respect, reciprocity, and a balance that keeps both hearts full, not one heart drained.

The tricky part? Compassion feels noble. It makes you feel like you’re doing the “right” thing by staying. But the truth is, staying in a one-sided relationship out of compassion isn’t kindness to yourself and real love always includes love for yourself, too.

So ask yourself:

• Am I staying because I feel deeply loved, or because I feel deeply sorry?

• If I stopped trying to fix them, would we still have a relationship?

• Does this connection feed me, or just deplete me?

Sometimes the bravest, kindest thing you can do for them and for yourself is to recognize the difference and let go.