The Valentine’s Day I Found the Love I Wasn’t Looking For

How a season of longing led me to a friendship that never left

Everyone seemed to have someone that Valentine’s Day.
I didn’t.

Campus life was buzzing with energy. The streets pulsed with celebration. Love was in the air, and you could almost feel it in the way people walked, talked, and dressed. For those already in love, there was no one else that mattered. For those who weren’t, it felt like another chance to find someone.

No “jones” today, as we used to say in those days.

I woke up and stepped into the atmosphere of one of the most urban universities, deeply immersed in social life. I wanted to belong to the moment. I wished so strongly. Everywhere I turned, I saw glammed faces, determined looks, people radiating energy, love, and beauty. Everyone—whether in love or not—was waiting for the night to express themselves.

Later that day, I walked back from lectures with a course mate—one of my closest friends on campus. I kept wondering where everyone would end up before the day was over.

The day came and went.

I had no Val.

The world didn’t end for me.

I wasn’t even sure I had what it took to start a relationship, nor the means to sustain one. I let go of the thought and moved on.

A week later, I returned from lectures and noticed something different. The campus felt unusually quiet, almost deserted. I asked my friend where everyone was.

He laughed and said many “pepperless girls” and “Jand boys” had started attending a new fellowship on campus.

I thought to myself, I can’t be left behind.

We dashed to the auditorium. It was packed.

And that was where everything changed.

Up until that point, I had experienced kindness from people. I had seen glimpses of genuine care. But it never felt complete. Something was always missing. I wanted something deeper—something true, unconditional, and selfless.

I didn’t know it then, but I wasn’t just looking for love.
I was looking for true and selfless love.

That day, as I sat there, I felt something I could not explain. A quiet invitation. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just real.

It was as though I heard within me:

“Give Me your burdens—your fears of today and tomorrow. You may not see Me, but I am always there. I have always been there. Trust Me. Make Me your friend. I know what it means to walk this earth. I know what it means to love and to be rejected. I will teach you. I love you. Not ‘I will love you.’ I love you. Accept My friendship. Let Me walk with you. Are you ready?”

Something broke within me.

I accepted.

Not perfectly. Not loudly. Just sincerely.

I let go of my worries, my fears, and my loneliness. I opened my heart to the One who was offering me friendship. I asked Him to show me what real love looked like.

That was the day I met my Invisible Friend—Jesus. Not so invisible. More real than what our senses tell us.

It has been over three decades since then.

What began as a moment became a relationship.
What felt like comfort became companionship.
What started as a search became a life.

My Invisible Friend became my closest companion, my Lord and Savior, and the One who has gently guided me through life. He has shown me things (visible and invisible), taught me patience, corrected me without condemnation, and loved me without conditions.

When I stumble, He doesn’t push me away. He draws me closer.
When I feel overwhelmed, He whispers peace.
When I forget who I am, He reminds me of who I’m to become.

I have never met anyone who loves like Him.

There are moments I feel tired or uncertain, and it is as though He sits beside me quietly (which He has done a few times in visions), strengthening me. When I look down on myself, He lifts my vision. When I lose my way, He steadies my steps.

His words remain constant:
“What I have said, I have said. They will come to pass.”

Over the years, I have come to understand something.

Love is not a feeling.
He is Love.

The One who stays.
The One who speaks.
The One who guides.
The One who never withdraws His presence.

One day, overwhelmed by His faithfulness, I said to Him (Jesus),
“You have done more for me than I could ever imagine. I give You everything completely. Take everything.”

And I meant it.

Not just for a moment.
For a lifetime.

Today, I look back and realize: that Valentine’s season was not about what I didn’t have. It was about what I was about to find.

Maybe you have felt that emptiness before.
Maybe you have searched for love in people, places, and moments.
Maybe you’ve wondered if anyone truly sees you.

I did too.

And I found that the greatest love is not the one you chase.
It is the One who finds you, waits for you, and walks with you.

My Invisible Friend, Jesus, is still here.
Still guiding.
Still loving.
Still calling.

And I am still grateful.

It all made sense that day when I said, “Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Savior. I hand over everything to You. Do whatever pleases You with my life, which is no longer mine from today. I receive Your life into mine. In Jesus’ name.”