(Before reading this piece, I strongly advice you get a copy of today's
Song Of The Day, Bob Marley's I s This Love? a.k.a "I wanna Love You". It will help you understand, flow with and articulate this piece.)
Love is easily one of the most misused words in the history of mankind, it is defined in different way by different people, under different context, and in different circumstances.
Everyone has his/her own definition of what love is, but it remains one of the most difficult questions to answer, I'll try my best to answer it, you might not agree with my definition, but feel free to tell us what love means to you.
Love is the indescribable feeling of unexplainable connection between two individuals.
It's not describable, cos it's a feeling that's just impossible to be appropriately described, and it's unexplainable cos it's better felt and expressed than explained.
I made a compilation of my favorite definitions and description of what love, (which I've culled from different internet posts over the years) and I'm happy to share it with you.
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,
'What does love mean?'
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined
See what they think:
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Chrissy - age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.
They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
And the final one
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
WHAT IS LOVE?
LOVE IS:
The strongest feeling known
The all-compassing passion
An extreme strength
An overwhelming excitement
LOVE IS:
Trying not to hurt the other person
Trying not to change the other person
Trying not to dominate the other person
Trying not to deceive the other person
LOVE IS:
Understanding each other
Listening to each other
Supporting each other
Having fun with each other.
One Baptist preacher has aptly said:
“Love is not a namby-pamby, loosy-goosy, warm and fuzzy feeling. That’s Hollywood love. That’s sub-teen puppy love.. . . Love is not a warm glow in the gut; that’s probably heartburn. . . . Love is more than tender words and affectionate glances. Love is more than gracious gestures, good table manners, and finely-tuned social skills. Love is more than feel-good.Love is self-sacrifice. Love is giving beyond what you have to give and moving into what you want to give.”
"Where There’s Love.":
Where There’s Love . . .
There’s an elegance of simplicity
An affluence of frugality
And a display of humility
Where There’s Love . . .
It is home in its true place
Even outside its own race
Destined there by divine grace
Where There’s Love . . .
It calms every fear
Provides a listening ear
And wipes the sobbing tear
Where There’s Love . . .
Compassion is its fight
Gentleness is its might
And forgiveness is its right
Where There’s Love . . .
Its friendship is very real
Risking all is no big deal
For helpfulness is its zeal
Where There’s Love . . .
Innocence is its age
Childlike trust is its face
And patience is its pace
Where There’s Love . . .
It finds excuses to share
And offers a daily prayer
For God to keep it from care
In conclusion, Love is more than what most people take it to be, in subsequent posts, we'll talk more about what love is, and what it is not.
It is best we stop striving to define love, and instead look for an appropriate way to express it.
Remember.....
God Is Love....
Love Is All.
