LOVE

On a day that we mainly enjoy due to the love we feel and receive from others, I thought it was fitting to write about love.

(I want to expand on this more at a later time, but right now I’m just typing away as my mind directs me… a ‘free write’ if you will)

I’ve had an infinite amount of thoughts buzzing around in my head lately, and I never have enough time or motivation to write them all out, but tonight I decided I could focus on a central theme.

LOVE.

Probably, no scratch that, DEFINITELY the most thought about, talked about, written about emotion in the world. Love brings men, cities, and empires to their knees. Love is at the root of almost every issue, problem, hurt, pain, emotional scar, misunderstanding, war, conflict… everything. Some situations that come to mind are child abuse, divorce, murder, drug use, psychopaths, prostitution, and gangs…. If you REALLY think about it, if you trace all these things back to their root, more often times that not, it all comes back to love.

People use drugs to numb them from pain in their past, usually childhood neglect or abuse…not being loved enough. People kill others over jealousy or hurt, from love not being returned or love fading, women seek out prostitution to feel a connection or love, or a sense of belonging if just for a moment… Juveniles and adults look to gangs for a place to belong, a place to be valued, a place to feel loved… Lack of love, or an absence of love, creates a ripple effect of vast and diverse consequences.

It’s quite shocking when you really think about it isn’t it? If people had more love in their lives, so many aspects would be better. I am not saying “love will solve all the problems in the world”

But love can certainly prevent, and heal, the many wounds that ail us.

How many times have youths acted out negatively due to neglect from their parents? How many long-lasting emotional wounds are created from not being loved enough as a child? How many times have we felt comforted by a simple “Are you ok?” or a hug? Why do we feel better when we are with others rather than alone? Why do we seek out partners in this life?

LOVE!

Now I don’t want you to think this is a negative post, because it isn’t, I merely wanted you to see where my thoughts began… mainly being that love is central to our existence.

“Love makes the world go round?”

Yes, it really does. We spend our LIVES focused on love. We are born into a family where there are people who are (usually) genetically programmed to love us. We grow up and seek out friends who care for us, and love us, the way we love them. We spend our lives looking for a mate, someone who will love us until we leave this earth, we explore ourselves in order to find hobbies we love, simply so that we can pass time in an enjoyable fashion. We go to school to obtain knowledge so that we may find a job that we love, so we can make money doing something we love, to support the people we love, so that we may lead a life that WE LOVE!

Love is inextricably tied to every aspect in our lives. Every emotion, every feeling, I would say 9 times out of 10 has to do with love.

We hate someone because they broke our hearts (lost love)

We’re angry at someone because they hurt our feelings (neglected love)

We are sad because our feelings aren’t returned (unrequited love)

We feel betrayed (our love was taken for granted)

We spend our lives searching for, yearning for, and striving to maintain: LOVE.

We want to be happy, and love is central to that happiness.

When are we happy?

When we know friends, family, and lovers return our love (mutual love). When we have an occupation that we LOVE doing. When we have a car that we LOVE to drive. When we have a place we LOVE to live in. When we have school subjects that we LOVE to learn about. When we have belongings that we LOVE to use. When we have friends and family we LOVE to spend time with. When we have a significant other, that LOVES us so deeply, that it is in a way where we feel we can’t live without each other.

Love is all around you. Love is tied to everything you do. Love is what makes life worth living.

I started today talking to the man I love, living a dream I’ve loved, I spent the day at the beach, a place I love, with absolutely wonderful friends who I love, and I was able to watch the sunset paint colors across the sky tonight, which I love!

Do not forget to appreciate the love that surrounds you. This love is what makes life wonderful, amazing, and worth living. Love is the blood in our bodies, the air in our lungs, and the reason we are happy.

I am so thankful for all the people that I love in my life and that love me in return. I could write about this for ages and perfect it if I felt like it, but I rather decided to just type away as my stream of consciousness directed me.

And I want to leave you with this quote; that while written in a children’s book, is absolutely profound:

"Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Do not live your life without love. Embrace love and enjoy life.

I LOVE YOU.