Because when love was unpredictable, your brain adapted by scanning for crumbs: a soft tone, a rare compliment, a late-night “I miss you,” a moment of warmth…and then it filled in the blanks. So you don’t just miss them… you miss the emotional possibility they represented: Maybe this time I’ll finally be chosen. Maybe this time love will stay. But here’s the truth that sets people free: If I have to imagine their love, I’m not actually receiving it. If I have to earn consistency, it’s not love,