Love That Stammers, That Stutters

A poem, love, and all that matters in life

Christopher Kokoski
RelationshipFire

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Cartoon man with blue shirt and red heart — Love That Stammers, That Stutters
Image by the Author using DALL-E and Canva

“Love that stammers, that stutters, is apt to be the love that loves best.” — Gabriela Mistral

Love is an emotion that can be hard to define and feel impossible to express.

It can leave us feeling tongue-tied and awkward as we try to put our feelings into words. Yet, Gabriela Mistral’s quote reminds us that love that stutters and stammers can be the most profound and genuine love we can ever experience.

In this article, we will explore this quote’s meaning and how it applies to our lives today.

What Does This Quote Mean?

Gabriela Mistral’s quote suggests that true love is not always perfect or easy to express.

Love can come in many different forms, including awkwardness and uncertainty, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. In fact, the best kind of love can emerge from those moments of vulnerability, when we drop our guard and let our true selves be seen.

Stuttering and stammering can be interpreted as signs of authenticity and vulnerability.

They convey that the speaker is genuinely invested in the conversation and has strong feelings for the other person. By stumbling over our words, we show that we are willing to take risks, express ourselves, and open ourselves up to the possibility of rejection.

Rather than hiding behind smooth talk and suave expressions, someone who stutters or stammers is revealing their authentic selves, flaws and all.

Love Can Be Messy

The process of falling in love can be messy, with twists and turns that are often unpredictable.

But if you have experienced this mess, you know that it can be a beautiful and transformative experience. When we fall in love, we are forced to confront our true selves, accept our vulnerabilities, and open up to another person.

Sharing our innermost selves with another person takes courage, and it is not always easy to find the right words to express these emotions accurately.

This is where stammering or stuttering comes in.

These conditions can be the result of nervousness, anxiety, or a lack of confidence. Nonetheless, they are expressions of authentic emotions that are so intense they can barely be expressed.

Examples of Love That Stammers, That Stutters

The quote by Gabriela Mistral about stuttering and stammering and its association with love rings true for many people, especially those who have felt tongue-tied themselves.

This quote has become so famous because many people have felt the same thing.

Consider the following examples to better understand this quote’s essence:

  • When someone confesses their love to another individual, the feelings that are in play are so intense that they can barely speak correctly. Stumbling over one’s sentences can be a sign of how genuine their feelings are, and it can make that confession feel truly heartwarming.
  • In other situations, a person may stutter or stammer when they are nervous or overwhelmed. They might find it hard to communicate their feelings correctly, but even their stammering and stuttering communication can show how much the other person means to them.
  • In a fight between two partners, one person might find it hard to express their grievances effectively. Stammering is typical in such cases, as emotions run high, but this stuttering can highlight the sincerity of the other partner’s feelings.

Love That Accepts Flaws

Accepting someone’s quirks, including their stuttering and stammering, is a part of love.

Being with someone means that you accept all parts of them, including the parts they don’t like about themselves. Loving someone means that you are comfortable with their imperfections and that you support them as they navigate their challenges.

The power of love can surpass any barrier, even flawed communication.

These barriers may include a lack of confidence or even a stuttering speech impediment.

Love can help us build bonds that no stutter or obstacle can break, and this is precisely what Gabriela Mistral wanted to emphasize. Regardless of how difficult it is to express ourselves, we should take the leap and communicate our feelings anyway.

These moments are when we are truest to ourselves and the people we love.

Final Thoughts

Love that stammers and stutters can be the most profound love of all, embodying the ups and downs of every genuine emotion.

It is important to remember that expressing love is a unique experience for every person. There is no one right way to do it, and sometimes, even our words can fail us.

Perhaps, in some way, the awkwardness that comes with stuttering and stammering can bring us even closer together.

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Christopher Kokoski
RelationshipFire

Endlessly curious| proud word nerd| Don’t miss my next article — sign up to my Medium email list: https://bit.ly/3yy18Bc