Falling In Love Out Loud at Every Age

Today, millions of people worldwide will tune into Super Bowl LVIII. And no, they don’t care about the game or the commercials or the halftime performance by Usher. No. They care about Swelce. That’s the couple name given to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, which has taken not just the NFL by storm, but the world. What is different about this relationship? Why do we all care so much? And why is it impossible to turn away?

In a December 2023 interview with TIME, Taylor said, "When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care. The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other." If we look back at Taylor’s past relationships, they have very much not been public. She has not shown up at public events and has gone out of her way to be private. Maybe that’s why this feels different. Because we all are witnessing a couple loving each other, who are not afraid of letting anyone know, but are also really not going out of their way to prove themselves. A quick check of their social media reveals not even one post of the two together, but you can hardly scroll through Instagram without seeing a post about them. Yet, Taylor and Travis remain unafraid to show up and be there for each other.

Let us also be reminded that Taylor Swift is one of the most popular singers, if not people in the world (see TIMES’s 2023 Person of the Year). And Travis Kelce is one of the most popular athletes in the NFL. Is this the difference? Are they able to comfortably love each other because they are meeting at a point where one is not more “successful” than the other? Where one is not more intimidated or has more to prove than the other?

Actors Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup married each other last June. Watts was previously married, but has been quite open recently that going through menopause at a young age (36) caused her to ‘spiral out of control.’ She has been able to find the upside and work as an advocate for menopause awareness, and said in a recent interview, “Going through this journey led me to a deeper understanding of myself, and I came out on the other side feeling more authentically me. A lot of freedom came in the self-acknowledgement.” Now at age 54, Watts is not just able to feel liberated, but is letting love rule. She and Crudup have been vocal about the need for open communication, and are often seen showing up for each other, whether at an award show or on social media. They make it very clear that they support each other, show up for each other, and that neither is more important than the other.

George Clooney had long been one of Hollywood's most notorious bachelors. While he had been briefly married in the early 90s, he never thought he would marry again, nor did anyone in Hollywood. But then he met renowned human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. Many have speculated that the reason this was a match was because they both were from two different worlds, yet both at the top of their game. Highly respected individuals with nothing to prove, merely the ability to show up and support each other in their separate endeavors.

So what can we take away from these relationships? 

1)    Love yourself first before you can expect anyone else to love you. 

2)    Don’t be afraid to love out loud. There is no judgment in posting a photo OR in not posting a photo on social media. That’s up to you!

3)    Love is about showing up for yourself, just as much as it’s about showing up for others. If you are only showing up for someone else and never for yourself, you likely need to take a step back and reassess the relationship. 

4)    Love does not go in one direction. It should flow both ways. While it won’t always feel even or be even, it should feel good. 

Now, as we await all the closeups of Taylor cheering on her man and all the memes to come, wishing you all the love that comes your way today and this Valentine’s Day!