When we think about love, our minds usually go straight to the grand gesturesโthe romance, the flowers, the movie-worthy moments. But if youโre living with a chronic illness, love often looks a little different. It looks like a friend who texts, โHowโs your energy today?โ instead of assuming youโre always up for plans. Itโs a partner who learns the difference between โIโm fineโ and Iโm fine. Itโs a community that understands your struggles without you having to explain them. Itโs also the deep, unwavering love of God, who sees you even when no one else does. Because the truth is, there are many forms of love, and all of them have the power to sustain us.
The Love We Find in Community
A few years ago, I hit one of my lowest points with my health. The kind of low where getting out of bed felt like a victory and even texting back โIโm okayโ was too much effort. I was exhausted, frustrated, andโif Iโm being realโlonely. Not the kind of lonely that comes from being alone, but the kind that comes from feeling unseen.
Then, something shifted.
I found my people. Women who got itโwho didnโt need an explanation when I canceled plans last-minute or needed to rant about yet another doctor who dismissed my symptoms. Women who didnโt try to fix me but just sat with me in the hard moments. They reminded me that even in my most isolated moments, I wasnโt actually alone.
This kind of love? Itโs life-giving. Itโs the fuel that keeps us going on the days when everything feels too heavy. And itโs just one of the many forms of love that help us navigate life with chronic illness.
Love That Doesnโt Require Explaining
One of the hardest parts of having a chronic illness is feeling like you constantly have to explain yourselfโto doctors, to family, to friends who donโt quite understand. But the love that really sustains us? Itโs the kind that doesnโt demand explanations. It just is.
Itโs the friend who knows that โIโm tiredโ doesnโt mean you need a napโit means your body is done.
Itโs the sibling who doesnโt say, โBut you were fine yesterday.โ
Itโs the fellow spoonie who sends you a meme about canceling plans before you even have to do it.
It’s the love that you give yourself.
And beyond all of that, itโs the love of a God who sees you in every moment. Who isnโt measuring your worth by your productivity. Who knows your pain, your exhaustion, your frustrationโand holds you through it all. His love is steady, constant, and, like the many forms of love we experience in our relationships, it reminds us that we are never truly alone.
You Are Not Meant to Do This Alone
If no one has told you this lately: You donโt have to carry this all by yourself.
God is with you in this, and He often shows His love through the people He places in our lives. Thatโs exactly why I created The Unseen Sisterhoodโbecause we all need a place to feel seen, heard, and understood. Whether youโre looking for advice, encouragement, or just a group of women who get it, this is your space.
So if youโre feeling alone in your journey, come join us. Share your story. Find your people. Because the many forms of loveโreal, life-giving loveโcome in all shapes, and you deserve every single one of them.