Is unrequited love still valid?

IDK if valid, but, that cannot be helped: you love who you love, whether they love you back or not...

I think so and it might even become addictive.

Giving love is a gift.
Receiving love is a gift.
Sometimes it happens simultaneously.

When it does not though, it
does not make the gift any less.

I like that

It's a good question.
Got me thinking that one can have unrequited love
for someone that can last a lifetime.

And it can be stronger than the reciprocal love
between mates, specially when tis time to take
the garbage out.

The guy that said "Familiarity breeds contempt"
knew of what he spoke so I am thinking the unrequited
love, never tested, can be stronger/more valid.

Pretty much.

I believe it is valid and very much a gift.

Excellent question... I shall ponder this...

Yes and no...it is too heart wrenching when you find your feelings are just yours alone.

I agree it is most definitely heart wrenching, however at very least you are assured that you rose above the fear of being vulnerable and allowed your heart to feel something truly priceless despite the love being returned or not. This speaks volumes about your own capacity to love another person! Your heart is open, while theirs may be closed from fear of being hurt. Love is the biggest risk we humans take. It's what makes us human. JMHO

But the positive is knowing that you can feel this deeply for someone.

Mariah and Missy, yes both of you have touched upon this, I am grateful the years have not jaded my emotions in that respect.....a lot of people lose the ability to love after too much hurt.

I have also experienced the sadness of the love coming from the other person.....it is never easy letting them down no matter how gentle you can be.

I think unrequited love is just so sad.....it is never really discussed these days, thanks for bringing the topic up.

It gets tricky sometimes, but I feel if both people are honest with each other about their feelings or lack of them, it spares much more hurt down the line. I wish that people would just be honest and upfront about their feelings, and if they choose to say goodbye, it might hurt, but at least it was honest, and release will come...might cause some temporary grief, but in the long run, it's the best thing that could happen. I value honesty in that, rather than trying to spare a person's feelings which will never be returned by the other person. After all, if it was meant to be, it would have happened. If it didn't, there were reasons why it shouldn't have.

As the saying goes....It is better to have loved then not loved at all.......

Regardless if the one you love, loves you back or not love is always valid...

I feel what is often sadder than unrequited love is waiting too long to tell each other; even if both reciprocate the feelings, until one or the other moves on because they were too scared of getting hurt by the other.

I read biographies of both Gene Wilder and his wife Gilda Radner.

He said the greatest regret of his life was when he dated her so
long, she wanted to get married and have babies, he did not share
that urge.

Finally, he asked her to marry him.
They were blissful until she died suddenly of ovarian cancer.

He was devastated and forever after wished he had married her sooner.

People are scared of their feelings, expressing them, being vulnerable with another person and are deeply afraid of getting hurt. Everyone has their little stories for why this is.

How traumatic he has to live with that big a regret. It's crushing to know he could have had more had he disposed of his stubbornness. He thought he would always have the time later...life appears gravely short sometimes.

It expired already. I hear there is a new version coming out soon but each are sold separately though.

It is for the parents of a newborn baby, because the baby doesn't immediately give love back.