Love, as I’ve stated, is one of my favorite topics. Someone once suggested to me that I say “I love you” too much. In my mind – he’s got it backwards. Don’t you want to be around people who acknowledge you with those words? I do!
On a daily basis, many of us spend a lot of time thinking about our life challenges. We think about all sorts of difficult situations, financial problems, familial problems and even work issues. Yet, do we spend as much time and energy thinking about love? My guess is, not … I think we just assume it happens.
Over this last week I have been thinking about this topic (well really the last 50 years!). I’ve tried to come up with one definition … I came up with many:
Love is intimacy, passion and commitment.
One ancient proverb defined love as the highest form of tolerance (that is so true!).
Love is compatibility but it isn’t instant compatibility or even complete compatibility. The key to any long-term successful relationship is understanding that it is a long, not short, journey and no one is perfect or perfectly compatible.
Love is being there with no walls. Sharing joy and sorrow, understanding each other, providing space to each other, but always there for each others needs.
Love can’t be measured. Love is best expressed in deeds. It is not created by words. Love can be felt in silence. Love is gentle.
We can’t force love. If it was not meant to be, it won’t survive.
Any kind of love, romantic, friendship, family, can leave your heart-broken. Yet, there will always be someone who loves you enough to pick up the pieces and help put your heart back together.
The more we love, the more we experience, the more we get to know ourselves, the more we can share our love. Eventually, the love you put out there will come back to you.
Love has no firm definition, yet it is the most powerful experience in life. One thing is for sure … if we expect love to always be perfect, always at its best, we will never appreciate its existence.
I’ll leave you today with one of my many favorite “love” quotes:
Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. ~Robert Heinlein
Enjoy the start of your week!
theyearof50 