I took this photograph years ago.

Two simple puzzle pieces.
One says ME. The other says YOU.
They fit together the way puzzle pieces are meant to fit — not forced, not twisted, just aligned.

Behind them stands a mirror.

And in that mirror, something quiet but powerful happens.

The reflection of ME becomes WE.

Not because someone added a letter.
Not because the word changed.
But because the angle changed.

And maybe that is what love really is.

Love is not simply “me plus you.”
Love is what happens when the “I” is willing to shift perspective.

When we talk about love, especially on Valentine’s Day, we often focus on romance. Couples. Flowers. Grand gestures. But love is larger than that.

Love is me and my spouse.
Love is me and my child.
Love is me and my parents.
Love is me and my friend.

And there is one more relationship we often forget:

Love is me and myself.

Without that, the reflection never becomes WE.

Because here is something I have learned slowly, sometimes the hard way:

Two people do not create “we” by losing themselves.
They create it by bringing their whole selves.

If I am fragmented, hiding, pretending, shrinking, or performing, then what joins with you is not truly me. And if what joins is not truly me, then what forms is not truly we.

The mirror in the photo only reflects ME. Not YOU.

And that matters.

Because before there can be “we” between two people, there must be integrity within one person.

We is not the erasing of me.
We is not surrendering identity.
We is not silence in order to keep peace.

We is the meeting of two whole selves.

In marriage, I have seen how easily “we” can become routine instead of reflection. How daily life can turn partnership into logistics. Bills. Schedules. Responsibilities.

But real “we” is not just cooperation. It is connection.

It is when I see myself in the way you react.
When your joy affects mine.
When your pain reaches me without explanation.
When we choose each other not only when it feels easy, but when it feels inconvenient.

With children, “we” takes another shape.

It is the moment your child runs to you, not because you are perfect, but because you are safe.

It is knowing that your presence is their mirror.

The way you speak to yourself becomes the way they will speak to themselves one day.

And then there is friendship.

True friendship is not just shared interests. It is shared honesty. It is the freedom to remain yourself and still belong.

And finally, there is the most overlooked relationship: me and myself.

If I cannot sit with myself without noise…
If I cannot respect my own boundaries…
If I cannot forgive my own mistakes…
Then every “we” I build with others will lean on unstable ground.

Self-love is not ego.
It is responsibility.

It is looking into the mirror and saying, “I will not abandon you.”

Only then does the reflection change.

Only then does ME become WE.

Because “we” is not simply a word formed by two people standing close together.

It is formed when two reflections meet.

This is why love is not a single day in February.

It is daily perspective.

It is daily adjustment of the angle.

Sometimes we need to shift our pride.
Sometimes our expectations.
Sometimes our silence.
Sometimes our fear.

But when we are willing to look differently, to soften without disappearing, to stand firm without pushing away — something changes.

The letters rearrange.

And what was once just ME becomes WE.

So today, if you celebrate love, celebrate it in all its forms.

Celebrate your partner.
Celebrate your child.
Celebrate your parents.
Celebrate your friend.

And do not forget the person in the mirror.

Because without that reflection, there is no transformation.

Without “we,” there is no love.

But without “me,” there is no “we.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!

GK

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Published by georgi.kisyov

24 thoughts on “For Love We Need “We””

  2. I really love this. The image of the mirror changing ME into WE without adding anything… just shifting the angle. I think what really stood out for me most is the reminder that “we” isn’t about disappearing. It’s about showing up whole. That line about not shrinking or performing so what joins is truly you… that’s honest in the best way. It feels grounded, not idealistic. And I appreciate how you widened the lens beyond romance. The part about children learning how to speak to themselves by how we speak to ourselves… that’s such a gentle but important truth. This feels like a really meaningful Valentine’s message. Have a great one Georgi! Filled with lots of love and laughter.

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    1. Thank you for seeing it so clearly.
      That shift in angle felt small when I first noticed it, but the meaning behind it is anything but small. “We” should never cost us ourselves — it should give us more room to stand fully as who we are.
      And yes… the way we speak to ourselves quietly shapes so much more than we realize. I’m grateful you caught that. Wishing you a Valentine’s Day filled with love that feels steady, honest, and joyful. 🤍
      GK

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  3. Hi Georgi,
    your words really resonate with me. Especially “When your joy affects mine. When your pain reaches me without explanation.”
    If you can’t be happy for someone else or don’t notice when they’re feeling down, then it’s not love, not “we.”
    You wrote that beautifully, and your photo is so powerful.

    Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your family.
    Sandrine

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    1. Hi Sandrine,
      I’m really touched that those lines stayed with you. That quiet sharing of joy and pain — without needing explanation — is where “we” becomes real. It’s not loud, but it’s strong.
      Thank you for reading so deeply and for your beautiful wishes. Wishing you and your loved ones a Valentine’s Day filled with that kind of steady connection. 🤍
      GK

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  9. “Because “we” is not simply a word formed by two people standing close together. It is formed when two reflections meet.”
    “But when we are willing to look differently, to soften without disappearing, to stand firm without pushing away — something changes.”
    Beautiful for this Valentine’s Day! ~ Rosie

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    1. Rosie, it always means something special when you highlight the heart of a piece like this. 🤍
      Those lines came from a quiet place, and I’m grateful they resonated with you. Thank you for always reading with such depth and sharing it so beautifully.
      GK

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