How would you describe the concept of love to someone who has no idea what it is? Maybe that doesn't matter because 99.9 percent of the humans on earth have some clue – especially if it's something they've sought and not found. Is love is an emptiness fulfilled? Do you have to be empty for love to fill you?
We could turn to the clinical dictionary definition of the word love, but I find it lacking: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; attraction based on sexual desire; warm attachment, enthusiasm or devotion. (Webster's). The definition prompts more questions, like how does that affection arise, what factors cause sexual desire, enthusiasm, devotion?
Is there an objective answer to the question, what is love? Probably not. It's got to be the most subjective emotion on the planet. It means different things to different people. There are millions of ways to express it. You don't always realize you have it; you definitely know when you don't. Some love is unrequited. Some love is unconditional. Some love is illegal and forbidden. Sometimes love hurts. Love isn't all you need, but it can come real close. There are different kinds of love, depending on who it's coming from and that person's relationship with you.
We can think all we want to about love, but our brains cannot fully decipher love's complicated rhythms. It's our figurative hearts that figure it out – sometimes through trial and error, sometimes by luck, certainly by experiencing it firsthand. There are some people not wired to express or feel love; not their fault, but still sad. Only love can feed that part of us that hungers for whatever love is. And it's up to each of us to answer our cravings, except that they are best met by someone else. Therein lies one of love's biggest quirks. We figure it out for ourselves, but must share it with others to make it mean something.
What does "love" mean to you?
"Hate...the only thing that lasts"
--Bukowski
Sorry to be cynical--but I agree (see: Arab vs. Jew, Christian Crusades, Muslim vs. Croat-Battle of Kosovo fought for same reason in 1300s as the war in early 1990s...etc. etc. etc.)
I've been over "love" for so long, it's almost a joke now.
It's funny that you ask this because my friend asked me this same question today.
I explained how I felt with an ex of mine... how it just felt "right." I was able to be completely myself, not hide anything. It was just complete comfort.
Love is something you would sacrifice everything for but it never asks you to.
i'm with robotnik- down with love... i'm just having fun and letting whatever happens happen
Leah...can I just go barf now?
What is love? Wanting to run as far away as you can, because love isn't what you ever thought it would be. But you don't run, because you know it's the best thing that will ever/has happened to you. You stick it out, and enjoy those wonderful moments, right along with the not so wonderful ones.
I agree with Leah...With me, love is when someone loves you for all of your qualities. The good ones and the bad. Someone that makes you feel complete. He can look in my eyes and know right away what I am thinking (most of the time).
Someone that makes you "feel complete" merely means you've got work to do on yourself. You should already be "complete." No one should complete you.
Therein lies the problem.
But how do I know someone understands 'love'? Because words are inert. They are just symbols. They're dead, right? And so much of our experience is intangible. So much of what we perceive cannot be expressed. It's unspeakable. And yet, you know, when we communicate with one another, and we feel that we have connected, and we think that we're understood, I think we have a feeling of almost spiritual communion. And that feeling might be transient, but I think it's what we live for.