Whether it is politics, crazy news headlines, coming down off the high of the new year, or being “alone” on an overmarketed, underwhelming Valentine’s Day, this time of year can feel a little bit low for some of us. If so, this piece is for you. Love is everywhere, on every corner of the planet, with a million (or rather, 7 billion) different faces; we just have to remember to watch for it, and celebrate it when we find it (or when it finds us).

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Love is an adventure (USA)

Photo: Ian Schneider

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And a journey (UK)

Photo: Annie Spratt

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It is found in jumping for joy (Indonesia)

Photo: Robert Collins

Intermission

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4

And in holding hands

Photo: Anete Lusina

5

Or splashing toes (Peru)

Photo: David Núñez

6

There is really young love

Photo: Annie Spratt

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And pretty young love (USA)

Photo: Nathaniel Kohfield

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8

And mid-life love (Greece)

Photo: Toa Heftiba

9

And love that lasts a lifetime (Netherlands)

Photo: Lotte Meijer

10

It can be found over cups of coffee

Photo: Nathan Walker

11

In hushed prayers

Photo: Kevin Bluer

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12

And in loyal companions

Photo: Patrick Hendry

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It is found when we carry each other (Sierra Leone)

Photo: Annie Spratt

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And hold each other close

Photo: Mélody P

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When in protecting one another

Photo: Gary Bending

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Caring for one another (Bangladesh)

Photo: Adrien Taylor

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And in learning to love ourselves, too (Egypt)

Photo: Leo Abdelnaby

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It’s found at family picnics (Morocco)

Photo: Dimitry B.

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Or at family reunions

Photo: joel herzog

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Or on family road trips (Kenya)

Photo: Larry Li

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Love is making out on the road (Spain)

Photo: Diaricritico de Venezuela

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And kissing on a riverbank (Turkey)

Photo: Stròlic Furlàn

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Love is leaning on one another (South Africa)

Photo: Vincent van Zalinge

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And leaning in to each other (Paris)

Photo: Fabrizio Verrecchia

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And in helping each other along (Idaho)

Photo: Kevin Gent

26

Love is sharing a meal together (Myanmar)

Photo: Abel Chuklanov

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And nourishing one another (USA)

Photo: Leandro Cesar Santana

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And in sharing belly laughs too

Photo: Sharina Mae Agellon

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It is making music together (Indonesia)

Photo: Robert Collins

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And shedding tears together

Photo: Ben White

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It's whispering secrets (France)

Photo: Caroline Hernandez

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And being utterly silly (Montreal)

Photo: London Scout

33

Love is when we embark on journeys together

Photo: Rene Bernal

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Get lost together (USA)

Photo: Lionello DelPiccolo

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And when we find each other along the way (UK)

Photo: Stanley Dan

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It's in waiting for one another

Photo: Tanja Heffner

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And welcoming each other home (Canada)

Photo by the author

38

Love is found between a grandmother and granddaughter

Photo: Sue Zeng

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Between grandfather and granddaughter (USA)

Photo: roya ann miller

40

Between uncle and niece

Photo: O. C. Gonzalez

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Between father and son

Photo: Sebastián León Prado

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Between mother and baby

Photo: Lewis Roberts

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Between old friends (Romania)

Photo: Val Vesa

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Or between siblings (Hong Kong)

Photo: Dan Gold

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Love is found in each embrace

Photo: Eye for Ebony

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And every hug

Photo: Dimitar Belchev

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It's found when we hold on (India)

Photo: Pablo Heimplatz

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When we accept one another (UK)

Photo: Toa Heftiba

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When we find light in the darkness together

Photo: Alex Iby

50

It's found in those quiet moments

Photo: Toa Heftiba

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That seem to last a lifetime (Italy)

Photo: eberhard grossgasteiger

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