Layers of Us: What Onions Teach Us About Love and Loss

We often overlook the poetry of everyday things—until they suddenly reveal themselves in moments of stillness. In something as mundane as peeling an onion, I found a strange, piercing metaphor for human relationships. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense: love, like an onion, has layers. And reaching the heart of it can be both beautiful and painful.

Consider this.

To truly taste an onion—to blend its flavour into the dish—you must first strip away its outer skin. And in doing so, your eyes begin to sting. The deeper you go, the more it burns. And when you finally start slicing it, tears often follow. Yet, once it’s mixed in, cooked down, and settled into the meal, it transforms everything. It becomes the one ingredient that elevates the whole dish—bringing warmth, balance, and even comfort. Ironically, that same onion often leaves a strong aftertaste that lingers longer than you’d like.

Isn’t that how it is with people too?

When you’re drawn to someone—truly drawn—you feel compelled to peel away their layers. You want to get under their skin, understand them, and reach their core. But people protect themselves. Their emotional layers are thick, often hardened by time, pain, or apathy. Getting past that isn’t easy. It stings. Sometimes, they don’t reciprocate. Sometimes, they don’t care. And still, we try.

As you begin to know them—really know them—the tears come. Through arguments, disappointments, and vulnerable conversations, something inside you is stirred. But despite the crying, despite the sting, you persist. Because somewhere along the way, they become that special ingredient in your life. The one that changes everything. They enrich your days, flavour your experiences, and suddenly, life feels more alive with them in it.

But what happens when they leave?

They don’t just walk away. Like the aftertaste of an onion, they linger. They leave behind memories you can’t wash out—both bitter and beautiful. Even when you want to forget, a part of you clings to what was. Just like the strongest flavours, love leaves traces.

So here’s the question—

Are we terrified of love, or just the tears it might bring along the way?