We’ve all been there. We all have that one: elegant, graceful, beautiful, perfect. And out of our grasp. A love that could be so wonderful if only they felt the same way back. And yet we do not blame them; they are perfect, after all. It must be something we are doing wrong, must be some flaw in our character, some error in our personality. And so we look within and try to change, but there is no happy ending. Venus always eludes our grasp. But we never lose hope, no matter what happens. We never stop thinking, never stop trying, never stop loving the one who will never love us back. And through this we are lifted up ourselves to do things we would never have thought possible before. This is the power of unrequited love.
     There are several definitions of unrequited love, or perhaps misconceptions of what the true meaning of the phrase is. One who truly loves another would never do anything to hurt them, never grow angry with them, never become frustrated but for their own failings. Unrequited love is also very different from unconditional love. Unconditional love is an obligation, something that is a natural part of human life as with families and the like. Unrequited love is a choice, and therein lies the difference. With unrequited love, we throw ourselves into a whirlwind of emotions, knowing the end result will always disappoint, and yet holding on to the impossible hope, the perfect ideal, which overwhelms all reason. This devotion is not out of obligation but of choice, and for that it is much stronger, much deeper. It is a love that is given to another, not because they want it, but because they deserve it. This is the essence of unrequited love.
     Unrequited love need not be for another person. It could be for a country or a deity. But in all its forms, they key characteristic of unrequited love is that it inspires men to great things. It inspires the most selfless acts known to man, the greatest artistic achievements known to man. It inspires the lowly to raise themselves up and strive for greatness. It allows us to become something greater than we ever thought was possible. Through a pure love, a love unadulterated by the realities of life, a love that exists only as a perfect ideal within the mind, we can become more than we ever imagined. This is the importance of unrequited love.