Thoughts on Love

I have done a lot of writing about Love and it's various definitions, but I don't think I have posted any of that here... so I think it is time to do that.

Love is a word that means many different things and causes all kinds of emotions in people. Although I think it is an overwhelmingly positive thing, it can cause just as much pain as pleasure. As well as confusion, hope, elation, comfort, and even fear. Love is an extremely powerful thing, and I would argue that it really is the most important thing...at least for me.

The word "Love" has many different definitions, and lots has been written to further define it. Since I am here on the internet, I will post the Dictionary.com definition here:

Love:/lʌv/ Show Spelled [luhv]

–noun

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

3. sexual passion or desire.

4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

5.(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.

7.sexual intercourse; copulation.

8.(initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.

9.affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.

10.strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.

11.the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.

12.the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.

13.Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.

14.a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.

–verb (used with object)

15.to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.

16.to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).

17.to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.

18.to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

19.to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.

20.to have sexual intercourse with.

–verb (used without object)

21.to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

—Verb phrase

22.love up, to hug and cuddle: She loves him up every chance she gets.

—Idioms

23.for love,

a. out of affection or liking; for pleasure.

b.without compensation; gratuitously: He took care of the poor for love.

24.for the love of, in consideration of; for the sake of: For the love of mercy, stop that noise.

25.in love, infused with or feeling deep affection or passion: a youth always in love.

26.in love with, feeling deep affection or passion for (a person, idea, occupation, etc.); enamored of: in love with the girl next door; in love with one's work.

27.make love,

a.to embrace and kiss as lovers.

b.to engage in sexual activity.

28.no love lost, dislike; animosity: There was no love lost between the two brothers.

Obviously that is a lot. Since the word "love" can mean so many different things, some people do not like it. I, on the other hand, appreciate it's vagueness because I can have it mean whatever I want. It is not static, but rather it is fluid, like water. I view love as being like a vast ocean; some days it is calm and comforting, and other days it is rough and unpleasant. It is life-sustaining, but can also make you sick. Personally I cannot live without it, but I do sometimes still hide from it.

Nothing that I write here is particularly unique. I am pretty sure it has all been said before. In many ways, writing this is probably a waste of time. But these are things I think about, and I suspect others do too. Often I think that love is the meaning of life. I also strongly believe that God is Love, so when people speak of God - or whatever term they use - it is confusing to me if it is not loving. I do not believe that there is an "opposite" to love, although since I believe strongly in the ideas of yin and yang, I do believe that there are various aspects that balance love.... things like hate and fear seem to correspond more to compassion and courage, and I think they all form aspects of love. I do believe that we can both love and hate, as well as love and fear. I believe that it all goes together.

Of course integrating all this into our day-to-day existence is rather difficult at times. It's all well and good to try to come from a place of love, but inevitably our humanity makes us stumble. We all know that loving someone doesn't mean we never hurt them. Love can be extremely painful and our scars can run deep. Some times it seems necessary to hide from love rather than feel that pain.

Love is natural but it isn't easy. At least that's my opinion. :) It is natural for me to love every living thing, but that doesn't make it easy for me. My relationship with each person or animal or plant is unique and as such it is difficult to define. But I believe that it is love, and I believe that it is good.

I love you all.