What is Love? Unique Perspectives on the Universal Emotion
Love is something no one in reality can define. It has no real definition.
Love is an emotion that can be felt. It is something we all feel but struggle to put into words. Love isn’t just a word – it’s this intricate, deep, puzzling thing that fills our lives in a million different ways.
But love is one of the best things to feel in life; just the thought of loving someone or knowing someone loves you, makes us feel good. In my 5 decades of existence, I have seen a lot in life and am immensely grateful for the experiences life has given me, which is why I would like to share my version of the definition of love.
Love is essential for everyone’s existence. Love prevails in different ways for everyone. There are many types of Love.
Mothers Love
As per the majority, it is the purest of all forms, as everyone knows. Motherly love is considered unconditional; however, in some cases, this may not be true. For example, some mothers just leave their child after birth for whatever reason, but if there was love, then that wouldn’t happen. There are other reasons as well where this can be proven wrong, but let’s stick with the majority, which says that Mother’s love is unconditional and the purest.
Fathers Love
This is also unconditional love; however, most fathers are known to be logical, more practical, etc., and mothers are more gentle and caring as compared to fathers. Fathers are more involved in doing things than expressing emotional care.
Sibling Love
It’s a mixture of love and hate, but it’s beautiful. Siblings can become our first support system, even before we make friends. In many cases, this is true and may not be true in some cases, but a sibling is a blood relation, if not gone wrong, then it’s a great relationship of unconditional love.
Love for Work
We spend most of our time in our work lives if we are working. The passion for work is also a sort of love. An example would be, if I have the love or passion to be the best in my field of work, I will give it more than 100% to achieve it and that passion is my love for my work.
Love for friends
This is also one of the best forms of unconditional love. There is a different fondness for the friends we have. They are non-judgmental, they are “our types – our tribe.” ” They accept us for who and how we are and we love to spend quality time with them always. Depending on how much we trust them, we can discuss anything with them. They understand us the most, and we have no emotional expectations from them. We just know that they are there whenever and wherever we may need them, without any bondage.
Lover’s Love (Romantic Love)
After parents, this is one of the most important of all relationships, the love that we share with our partner. Marriage. This kind of love is beautiful. This is a love that we grow into. We feel drawn towards our partners because we enjoy spending time with them. The more drawn we get the more the craving for our partner, and the expression of love in this case turns out to be Sex. In some cases, “Romantic love” can just be sexual in cases of lust and obsession, but this may not be love.
However, many marriages get broken despite having the best relationships and spending so much time with your partner. There are numerous reasons why divorces or relationships don’t work out, so can we say, was a lack of love? Had they been in real love would the relationship have broken? I think not. Love was lacking.
What is true love?
Love is an unconditional form of emotional bondage that you have for another person. You choose to love that someone because of how he/she makes you feel. Love is a connection of the soul. In love, you love unconditionally, you understand, you sacrifice, you empathize, and you care. In love, you can read the person’s eyes and know what they want to say without them having to say it, In love, you know what that person wants before they ask for it, loving deeply, you would know everything about that person. You understand the person so deeply that you start trusting them blindly. Love is having faith, knowing that the other person also loves you, respects you and trusts you. Love is standing with that person through thick and thin and in every situation. Even if you are in disagreement with that person in a situation, you will support that person because of the faith and trust you have in him/her and he/she has in you. Faith and understanding is the foundations of love and any relationship.
There is a test to determine love. If you care for someone, does their happiness bring you happiness, and does their pain bring you pain, do you get affected by what happens to them? Many factors determine love. Some of them are compatibility, compassion, empathy, understanding, etc. Everyone doesn’t need to meet all of the determinants, but one of the most important is understanding the needs of other without boundaries, or expectations. If we value the relationship, we must understand the other person without the if’s, why and buts. When we start creating differences of opinion, behaving differently in different situations, and valuing similar things differently then we stand a chance of creating differences in relationships, which ends in non-compatibility. What happens then is that relationships suffer. And this happens when people stop loving each other. We stop feeling their hurt, their pain and their happiness, we get into so much EGO that we forget that there was love. When we love, we care, and we care for everything, and there is no EGO. We care about their thoughts, their feelings, their opinions, etc. Of course, I am not saying that one must accept abuse because one partner loves and the other doesn’t, this isn’t a relationship. Love has to be from both ends, it can’t be one-sided. We reach out to our partners for any sort of support, and we expect that because of our unconditional love for each other.
Love allows us to see beyond the flaws and focus on the good things. It’s not about being clueless; it’s a conscious choice to see someone for who they truly are, beyond the surface-level stuff. Love is like putting on those magical glasses that reveal the genuine beauty underneath. Love is about acceptance. Acceptance becomes the cornerstone of deep love. It’s not about loving someone despite their flaws; it’s about loving them, flaws and all. True love acknowledges imperfections and embraces them as integral parts of the person you hold dear. It’s a conscious decision to see beyond surface-level differences and accept the essence of the other person.
Love is like a fingerprint—it’s different for everyone. It’s this wild, ever-evolving force that leaves its mark on the canvas of our lives.
Love is our storybook, our grand adventure, and the beautiful chaos we call life. It is different for everyone. Love has to be nurtured over time.
Love, in its truest form, is a powerful force that can transform individuals at their very core. Unlike some misconceptions, deep love doesn’t breed control or possession; instead, it fosters a sense of broad-mindedness and acceptance. It’s a journey that transcends the self, encouraging personal growth and a deeper understanding of the other person.
In deep love, control takes a backseat to the concept of acceptance. When you’re truly in love, you don’t seek to mould the other person into a reflection of your desires. Instead, you embrace their individuality, recognizing and respecting their unique qualities. Love becomes a sanctuary where authenticity is celebrated, and the freedom to be oneself is always encouraged.
Love is also associated with possessiveness, however, genuine love is about letting go of the need to own or control another person. It’s about understanding that each person is an individual being with their dreams, aspirations, and ways of exploring the world. Deep love is about coexisting in harmony and not being in possession.
When love is deep, it allows both individuals to exist independently. There’s a shift from trying to fit someone into a predetermined mould to appreciating the beauty of their unique shape. In this transformation, love becomes a catalyst for personal evolution, encouraging each person to grow into the best version of themselves.
In a relationship where love is the guiding force, there’s an understanding that both individuals are on their journeys. There’s a willingness to learn from each other, to adapt, and to evolve together. Love becomes a shared exploration, an adventure where acceptance paves the way for a deeper connection.
Ultimately, love’s transformative power lies in its ability to break down the barriers of possession and control, replacing them with the foundations of acceptance and understanding. When love is genuine, it elevates both individuals, encouraging them to be their truest selves. It’s a force that not only changes how we perceive the world but, more importantly, how we perceive and accept the ones we hold closest to our hearts.
Love, at its essence, is not being possessive—it’s liberating.
I hope you liked my version of the definition of love. This topic is vast and deep. Do share your thoughts.