Do you know what that one definition of love is? Even the
Oxford dictionary doesn’t have just one meaning of love. Phew! So how must I
figure out what love is? No, Google doesn’t help either!!!
I always found love confusing and in the ardour to understand
what love is, I decided to speak to few folks around me and perhaps should
share what it means to them. Here it goes!
·
Romantic euphoria
·
Self-destruction
·
Lust
·
Commitment
·
Combination of butterflies & comfort zone
·
Physical & emotional closeness
·
Complete understanding
·
Growing old with your partner
After understanding
the psyche of people in their mid-20’s, I realised that everyone defined
love basis the relationships they have had and the experiences they have gone
through while dating someone. However, did you ever wonder that love could be
beyond the romantic context?
Interestingly, the first
thought about love was associated with being romantically involved with their
partner. I wonder why that happens but it’s fascinating to see how we end
up thinking alike at a certain age about an expression and feeling as pure as
love.
While as a kid, one might have a completely different
perspective on love; it’s certain that as we age, it dawns on us that love is
abstract and it is extant in small actions we perform every day.
Love beyond
the romantic context
Sitting with your friend on the swing and discussing life,
cuddling with your pet, hugging your mom before going off to sleep, sharing
your deepest secrets with someone, playing with your kid or chasing your
passion are all various forms of expressing and experiencing love.
…and some of my friends quoted love very beautifully
“Love is
allowing yourself - and those you care about - room to grow and soar. It is
finding your joy, and living it, every day. It is taking care of yourself,
because only then can you take care of those you love. Love is being the best
"you" you can be... every day.”
“When I listen to the radio or see people describe "love" in
the movies, it reminds me of the blissful
superficiality of the beginning of a
relationship. I don't experience that brand of love anymore. My wife and I have
been together for ten years and have two kids, and the exhilaration and newness
that we once experienced has been replaced by familiarity and extraordinary
responsibility. For love to exist and endure, the people closest to you find a
way to empathize with, forgive and embrace your imperfection constantly. As
unromantic as some aspects of an enduring love are, it feels far more
gratifying for me to be loved in this way. That said, I have the most
exceptional wife in the world so my worldview could be completely skewed by her
brilliance. ;)” – Jim Dougherty
“Someone once told me that love is a verb
instead of a noun. That has always stuck with me. You have to actively love.
You don't get to buy it from the store or keep it in the closet to use at your
convenience.” – Daniel Cohen
"Love is putting yourself in your partner’s shoes and understanding
what bond most comforts them, inversely accepting the person they are, because
if you try to change them as per your likes then you'd be loving yourself and
not them" – Anish Quenim
All of
these different kinds of love and relationships have similar meaning but have a
little something different to be unique.
According to many philosophers, the only aim of life is to be
happy. And there is only one happiness
in life; to love and be loved. But no one defines who should be the object
of our affection. As long as there is love in our lives, there is fulfilment.
Love is essentially an abstract
concept, much easier to experience
than to explain. What do you think?
Recently I attended my niece’s birthday party. She turned 2 this
year and I was super excited to be a part of the celebration! Well, it was
after many many years I got to attend a kids party and hence the excitement.
