What is Love?

Love, whether romantic, familial or friendship, is something we all long for – we all crave it. Our films, songs and TV shows mostly revolve around the theme. Yet it is lost and unrequited love that seems more prevalent in our world today. The question remains: In a world obsessed with love, what is it really?

What is love? That all depends on who you ask. On the one hand, love is often described as a strong feeling or a bond that has its origins in the chemistry of our bodies. A mother loves her child because they were united by their hearts beating in sync. A boy loves a girl because something about her gets his attention. They feel a spark between them as their pheromones do a dance unseen but strongly felt. Yet something inside us knows that there must be more to love than uncontrollable passions and desires

What Is Love?

Much has been written about love. Poets have sat silently in gardens, surrounded by the scent of a thousand flowers, taken back by the morning stillness and the beauty of the rising sun, all the while pondering the complexities and perplexities of this four-lettered word. Academics have given their lives to understanding the subtle yet powerful forces at work in nature that guide us toward love, both sexual and emotional. We all feel its allure and we all long for its presence. We all need love like we need the very air we breathe.

C. S. Lewis, author of the Narnia children’s series, defined love as “desiring the highest good of others.” In this consumer driven world, his definition turns the concept of love on its head. The problem with love is that if everyone is looking for it but not everyone is giving it, then a lot of people will inevitably be left unsatisfied. Conversely, can you imagine a world in which everyone gave love? Imagine that everyone “desired the highest good of others.” Feelings, bonds, hopes and dreams are all part of what is so great about love. But at its core, love is an action and not just a longing desire.