They say love is in the little things, and that is true. It shows up in morning coffee made just the way you like it, in quick check-in texts, in remembering the small details that make someone feel seen. But I think we sell love short when we limit it to only the little moments.
Because love also lives in the middle.
The middle of the day when you are already tired, but still have hours to go. The middle of a conversation when emotions are running high and it would be easier to win than to understand. The middle of a season when things did not turn out how you hoped and the regret feels heavier than the lesson.
That is where love does some of its most important work.
A hug in the middle of a hard day is different from one at the beginning or the end. At the start, you still have energy. At the end, relief is already in sight. But in the middle, when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how you are going to make it through, that hug says, “You are not alone in this part.” It does not fix the problem, but it steadies you. It reminds you that you can keep going.
A pause in the middle of a heated discussion might be one of the most underrated acts of love there is. Not storming out. Not escalating. Just stopping long enough to breathe and choose your next words with care. The pause says, “This relationship matters more than being right.” It creates space for listening instead of reacting, for connection instead of damage.
And then there is compassion for yourself in the middle of regret. This one might be the hardest. We are often kind to ourselves when things are going well and surprisingly gentle once enough time has passed. But in the middle, when the mistake is still fresh and the consequences are still unfolding, we tend to be ruthless. Love, in that moment, looks like acknowledging the regret without letting it define you. It sounds like saying, “I made a choice I wish I had made differently, and I am still worthy of grace.”
The middle is uncomfortable because it is unfinished. There is no clean resolution yet. No tidy ending. That is exactly why love there matters so much. It is easy to show up when things are light and easy. It is meaningful to show up when things are messy, tense, or unresolved.
Think about the people who stayed with you in the middle of your story. Not just at the beginning when excitement was high, and not only at the end when clarity arrived, but right in the thick of it. The ones who listened without rushing you. The ones who offered patience instead of pressure. The ones who reminded you of who you were when you forgot.
Chances are, those are the people you trust the most.
And maybe the quiet invitation here is to be that person, too. For others, yes. But also for yourself. To offer presence instead of perfection. To choose kindness when frustration would be easier. To remember that growth, healing, and love rarely happen at the edges. They happen right in the middle, where life is actually being lived.
So if you are there right now, in the middle of something hard, unresolved, or uncertain, take heart. Love has not missed you. This is one of the places it shows up best.
Kenrick Vaz 