Love You At Your Best and Your Worst

Marilyn Monroe once said, “I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” This quote is a powerful reminder that real love isn’t about perfection—it’s about embracing someone completely, the good and the difficult. True love is the ability to love you at your best and your worst.

It’s easy to fall in love with someone’s best qualities. The charm, the laughter, the moments when everything feels light and effortless. But love deepens when it meets the other side too—the days when patience runs thin, when insecurities surface, or when life brings stress and struggle. These are the moments that reveal the strength of a relationship. Can your love stand steady when things are less than ideal? Can it see the whole person, not just the highlight reel?

Build a Healthy Relationship

Healthy relationships are not built on pretending. They are built on honesty and vulnerability. When you allow yourself to show both your strengths and your flaws, you create an environment where trust can grow. You no longer have to hide the parts of yourself that feel messy or unpolished. Instead, you can rest in the assurance that love will not be withdrawn simply because you are having a difficult day.

That kind of love doesn’t just happen. It takes intention and effort. Learn to listen when it would be easier to criticize. Choose patience over frustration. Offer forgiveness when mistakes are made. And it also means expecting the same in return. When both people commit to supporting each other through ups and downs, the relationship becomes stronger and more resilient.

Don’t Excuse Harmful Behavior

Of course, loving someone at their worst doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior or sacrificing your own well-being. There is a difference between normal human imperfections and unhealthy patterns that need boundaries. Respect and accountability are the foundation of any healthy relationship. But within those boundaries, there is room for grace—the grace to remember that no one is perfect and that we all need love most when we feel least deserving of it.

Think about the people in your life who have loved you unconditionally. Chances are, they didn’t walk away when you were stressed, upset, or struggling. They stayed, reminded you of your worth, and supported you until you could see it again for yourself. That is the kind of love that transforms us—the kind that reminds us we are seen, valued, and cherished in every season.

At the heart of it, love is not about celebrating only the easy moments. It’s about choosing to stay connected through the hard ones too. And when you find someone who can love you at your best and your worst, you’ve found a love that is genuine, enduring, and truly worth holding on to.