We can all learn something from Netflix's Forever

We needed a reminder of what love looks like

Warning: This post contains spoilers. Watch the show before reading.

There is something so potent about Forever on Netflix. There are plenty of shows centered around teen love that display cute renditions of the naive crushes and dramatized feelings we had in high school, but in Forever, the creator does a phenomenal job of capturing the novelty, complexity, and deeply emotional, electric feel of that first love.

Photo credits: Netflix

The way both Justin and Keisha aren’t afraid to take risks to proclaim their love loudly and boldly, without fear of getting the short end of the stick, is refreshing to say the least. That level of vulnerability and ‘chalant’-ness is something I don’t think many had even at that age. These kids were real yearners, and we could learn something from them.

Their situation was far from perfect, no doubt. Their relationship could have been a lot less chaotic if they had made better choices. However, as we get deeper into the story, the prolonged timeline of their relationship all seems to make sense.

It was like kismet meeting at a Chloe’s New Year’s Eve party in 2017, only to coincidentally run into each other at another NYE party a year later, rekindling their relationship after navigating a rough patch. And in the finale, Justin reveals how their rocky start was the catalyst to rediscovering his passion for music. He explained that when he was grounded for missing school in a bold attempt to see Keisha, he found his old beats doing homework on his mother’s old laptop.

Yes, the first few months of their relationship were messy to say the least, but the amount of synchronicities in their relationship proved that it was necessary for their individual life paths, which is beautiful.

In adulthood, particularly now in 2025, I think we forgot that love is not always picture perfect. Once you get into the “real” world, there are plenty more barriers that prevent us from having the courage to love fully, like societal standards or our own past traumas. In your first love, you don’t really know what it’s like to get hurt, so you are more willing to wear your heart on your sleeve. But after that, we place barriers up to avoid hurt and often forget how good it felt before we got our wounds.

There are plenty of things that both of them did that could be seen as “red flags” and that many would view as an indication to them to cut them off ASAP. But neither was a bad person or even malicious, they were just human. Yes, when it comes to dating in the real world, some things are just inexcusable — but I think we do need to give each other more grace sometimes.

We could really have a deep connection with someone and let fear or logistics get in the way — and let’s not even get started about pride. But in this show, these two brave souls say fuck all that because YOU are the one I want. You’re the one who sees me and makes me feel safe, and that’s all that matters. That’s really what love is, free-falling into it without a safety net. Love requires great vulnerability, and it’s no guarantee you won’t get hurt. But as Justin’s dad tells him in their courtside talk, nothing easy is worth having.

It’s easier said than done, trust me. But this show served as a reminder to me of what’s possible when you let some of those walls down. It’s scary, but it can be deeply rewarding.

Another thing to keep in mind is that heartbreak can be less tragic when you have a strong foundation in self.

Imagine what would have happened if Keisha didn’t check Justin for abandoning his life priorities and clinging to her because he was lost. The breakup would have been a lot more bitter and resentful because he was pouring so much into her and not into himself. He would have probably been depressed and deterred even further from his purpose.

Even though their inevitable split hurt, it catapulted them to where they were supposed to go in life. Keisha to Howard — ready to experience what life outside LA has to offer. And Justin into his own independence — not following his parents’ plan for his future and betting on himself to pursue his passion of making beats.

In their final reunion, they are both in a better place and can acknowledge the pivotal role they played in each other’s lives. But now, they are more willing to let each other go because they know love that is true will always return. The love they had for each other inevitably made them love themselves more.

The title Forever might seem ironic, but it’s very intentional. We know that first love feels like it will be forever, but it’s most likely just your introduction to what love can be. Many relationships have expiration dates, but love itself never ends. If we’re open to it, it will always make its way back to us.

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