Personal Thoughts on What the Love Is
As each one of us may come to agree, love is just a simple four-letter word, yet it can have different meanings as much as it can be perceived in different ways. For some people, love is a simple expression of affection, while others may find it as a deep and genuine term that encompasses their feelings and emotions towards their loved ones. Moreover, as common knowledge, love is somewhat an entity that is felt by most, if not all, people through their parents, spouses, children, friends, and the so-called “divine love” from God.
Nevertheless, while some people are certain that they know and feel the essence of love, others are still puzzled and are still not able to discern the exact meaning of love in their lives. Hence, this paper aims to have a substantial presentation of established facts and definitions pertaining to love, based on relevant and reputable references. LOVE… LOVE… LOVE… What really is love? Let us try to look at Webster’s definition of love. According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, love is: strong affection for another [person] that rise out of kinship and personal ties; an attraction based on sexual desire, a concern for another individual and an affection; tenderness felt by lovers; a warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion for a person or object; a fatherly concern of God to humankind; a person’s adoration of God. (“love”) Based on the above definition, love is fairly defined as an expression, a behavior that is communicated by one person to other people as a result of feelings and emotions that sprouted from relationships and ties.
Also, love is a substantiation of faith and adoration of God, in response to how the supernatural being had shown His divine concern to humanity through His love. On the other hand, love can also be associated with sexual desires which must have originated from the attraction between lovers. Thus, the Merriam-Webster’s definition clearly depicts love as actions (expression and behavior) that are carried out by individuals as social beings and as creations of God.
Perhaps, the most reliable and the most genuine definition of love can be found inside the bible, specifically the 13th chapter in the book of 1st Corinthians, which is widely known as the “love chapter”. And, the most significant parts of it are quoted as follows: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, [and] it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, [and] always perseveres. Love never fails… …And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (New International Version, 1 Cor. 13. 4-8, 13) Indeed, the bible’s definition of love categorically elaborates the distinct and laudable characteristics of genuine or true love, thereby highlighting the selflessness, trustworthiness, and genuineness of love. Consequently, true to its purpose, this paper was able to exemplify the meaning of love through utilization of the most reliable literatures. For this reason, we can now therefore discern what love is…
Works Cited
“love.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009. Merriam-Webster Online. 21 April 2009 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love>
New International Version of The Holy Bible. Colorado Springs: International Bible Society, 1984.
