Love? (Revisited)
What is love? The ill defined word that it is, we've already drifted through lots of interesting definitions and strange allegories to the feeling this word tries to define. Having progressively perceived this idea, right from its narrowest definition to its broadest one, I'd have to say that coming up with a proper definition is indeed an arduous task. I guess the idea is subjective, means different things to different people. Love moulds itself into a feeling or idea subject to the perception of the individual. It becomes what you choose to make of it.
If one is to find a definition though, search for some common portal that connects every perceptive idea, love has to be understood from a universal and multidimensional perspective. I've tried my best to come up with such an idea, but then I know that what I am offering is, at most, my viewpoint, my perception.
All you need to do is look around and observe your environment, your world. Look around you. There are absolute strangers, and there are people whom you've probably never met but whom you know are in need of something or someone. You see old acquaintances, friends, old and new, close and not so close. A shift in perspective will make you see mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons & daughters, lovers, married couples, all taking their best shot at life and relationships. Let us say you are viewing everything around you through a perceptive kaleidoscope. Keep rotating the circle of perception, and you will come across so many different ways of looking at people of all kinds..and to get extremely bold now..you'll even get to see homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, eunuchs..people with bizarre, ugly and arguably detestable physical desires. Now, I know, the discussion may peter down to good and bad, but that doesnt interest me. I am simply observing society, and the truth that such people also form a part of society. Good or bad?..that is again subjective. What difference should it make anyway? Keep rotating. A look at the world again and you will find people following diverse cultures and religions, people from different creeds, having different colours and physical features, people slotted into different castes and other manmade classifications, all sharing the same planet. Let us say the kaleidoscope allows us to have a peek into the hearts and minds of people, you'll see their different faiths and beliefs, their differing dogmas, their dreams and aspirations, their understanding or perception of life, their varied perceptions of other people around them, their perceptions regarding their environment. As can be seen, the various dimensions or possible ways in which society can be observed is limitless.
It makes a lot of sense to think that there is some binding agent that knits together all these dimensions, bringing all kinds of people and all possible ways of observing them under one roof. Look around you, closely. Each person is so unique, and is usually perceived differently by different people. What is it then, that enables him to connect with a person whose opinions and beliefs may be as different as he is from the person? Why does even outright hatred and enmity prevail, when feigning ignorance could be a much simpler option? There may be a host of rational explanations for many situations, but there do exist circumstances where all explanations fail. We are inherently selfish people, victims of our own vices and slaves of our own designs. Why is it then that there do come times when we end up wanting somebody else's well being or harm without being bothered about our own? Maybe the reason is a severe anomaly in the elaborate scheme of life. Maybe it's some irrational supernatural force we'd rather not think of. Maybe its LOVE.
Love could be generally understood as something which enables us to connect in a way that is unlike our inherent selfish nature, hence enabling us to actually live and not just exist. It's because of love that words like passion, desire and dream find meaning. Love is the reason why some people choose to de-prioritize wealth and material being and dedicate their life to some defined purpose, which could be anything, a person, a discipline, like say art, design, medicine, or even the service of God. Love is also the reason some people lose their sanity and in certain cases become obsessed with things best left unsaid, leading to widespread perceptions of perversion. Love is the reason why extremely incompatible people may bond together. Love is also the reason for similar thinking individuals to become fierce rivals. Maybe it is this force of love that enables us to constantly discover things about ourselves and the world around us. Maybe its because of this force that we can truly savour every moment of this wonder called life. Maybe it is this force that makes us so passionate and invokes in us the spirit to search for the answers to all questions, objective and subjective, that plague our kind.
One could also assume this force to be synonymous with faith. It represents intense belief and unconditional submission. This idea, understandably though, has two sides. Love is the cause of fanaticism, violence, blind terrorism. Love is also the cause of peace and all humanly care and support we provide to our brothers in need. A distillation of this idea will find easy identification in our environment.
I hope you've understood by now, that love is something beyond the realm of opinion and judgement. It's an inseparable part of our lives which lives through us. with us, in every part of life. It is something that finds form in every emotion lingering in our personal domain.
I'd love to believe that the whole concept of God and humanity actually stems from this unique four letter word. I feel that the existence of God is merely a metaphor for the existence of love. Love is something that flows through us, like an eternal stream with infinite energy, energy that only we can harness. It is like this invisible fabric, draping us all, its threads knitting our spirits together. The direction in which we try and pull the thread is completely our call. Put in any way, love is everything to do with making contact, with movement, forward or backward, with reaching out, connecting, feeling. Love is a way of life. To quote a popular movie - 'Love actually..is all around us!'
Having written so much about love being something beyond selfishness, I suddenly cease to wonder, is there anything in the world that is actually unselfish? Funny thing is, even though love can give rise to the most irrational, passionate and seemingly selfless act, doesn't such an act also make one feel good, even if momentarily. Even small acts of love usually create an atmosphere of goodwill. Does any good selfless deed actually exist?(courtesy Joey : Friends ) . Another thought does come to mind. Can anyone actually love others but not himself?..coz if he can't..that means u've got to be selfish in order to be selfless..which is quite obviously, a severe contradiction. Although I am pretty much satisfied with my perception of love..I guess I've pretty much blown away the base of my own definition. Yes..love is everything to do with passion and connection..but is it actually selfless? I don't think I can answer that. You people are, of course, free to debate. Let's just say that even though coming up with a definition for love is indeed an arduous task..it is a way of life..it is a reason for life.
If one is to find a definition though, search for some common portal that connects every perceptive idea, love has to be understood from a universal and multidimensional perspective. I've tried my best to come up with such an idea, but then I know that what I am offering is, at most, my viewpoint, my perception.
All you need to do is look around and observe your environment, your world. Look around you. There are absolute strangers, and there are people whom you've probably never met but whom you know are in need of something or someone. You see old acquaintances, friends, old and new, close and not so close. A shift in perspective will make you see mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons & daughters, lovers, married couples, all taking their best shot at life and relationships. Let us say you are viewing everything around you through a perceptive kaleidoscope. Keep rotating the circle of perception, and you will come across so many different ways of looking at people of all kinds..and to get extremely bold now..you'll even get to see homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, eunuchs..people with bizarre, ugly and arguably detestable physical desires. Now, I know, the discussion may peter down to good and bad, but that doesnt interest me. I am simply observing society, and the truth that such people also form a part of society. Good or bad?..that is again subjective. What difference should it make anyway? Keep rotating. A look at the world again and you will find people following diverse cultures and religions, people from different creeds, having different colours and physical features, people slotted into different castes and other manmade classifications, all sharing the same planet. Let us say the kaleidoscope allows us to have a peek into the hearts and minds of people, you'll see their different faiths and beliefs, their differing dogmas, their dreams and aspirations, their understanding or perception of life, their varied perceptions of other people around them, their perceptions regarding their environment. As can be seen, the various dimensions or possible ways in which society can be observed is limitless.
It makes a lot of sense to think that there is some binding agent that knits together all these dimensions, bringing all kinds of people and all possible ways of observing them under one roof. Look around you, closely. Each person is so unique, and is usually perceived differently by different people. What is it then, that enables him to connect with a person whose opinions and beliefs may be as different as he is from the person? Why does even outright hatred and enmity prevail, when feigning ignorance could be a much simpler option? There may be a host of rational explanations for many situations, but there do exist circumstances where all explanations fail. We are inherently selfish people, victims of our own vices and slaves of our own designs. Why is it then that there do come times when we end up wanting somebody else's well being or harm without being bothered about our own? Maybe the reason is a severe anomaly in the elaborate scheme of life. Maybe it's some irrational supernatural force we'd rather not think of. Maybe its LOVE.
Love could be generally understood as something which enables us to connect in a way that is unlike our inherent selfish nature, hence enabling us to actually live and not just exist. It's because of love that words like passion, desire and dream find meaning. Love is the reason why some people choose to de-prioritize wealth and material being and dedicate their life to some defined purpose, which could be anything, a person, a discipline, like say art, design, medicine, or even the service of God. Love is also the reason some people lose their sanity and in certain cases become obsessed with things best left unsaid, leading to widespread perceptions of perversion. Love is the reason why extremely incompatible people may bond together. Love is also the reason for similar thinking individuals to become fierce rivals. Maybe it is this force of love that enables us to constantly discover things about ourselves and the world around us. Maybe its because of this force that we can truly savour every moment of this wonder called life. Maybe it is this force that makes us so passionate and invokes in us the spirit to search for the answers to all questions, objective and subjective, that plague our kind.
One could also assume this force to be synonymous with faith. It represents intense belief and unconditional submission. This idea, understandably though, has two sides. Love is the cause of fanaticism, violence, blind terrorism. Love is also the cause of peace and all humanly care and support we provide to our brothers in need. A distillation of this idea will find easy identification in our environment.
I hope you've understood by now, that love is something beyond the realm of opinion and judgement. It's an inseparable part of our lives which lives through us. with us, in every part of life. It is something that finds form in every emotion lingering in our personal domain.
I'd love to believe that the whole concept of God and humanity actually stems from this unique four letter word. I feel that the existence of God is merely a metaphor for the existence of love. Love is something that flows through us, like an eternal stream with infinite energy, energy that only we can harness. It is like this invisible fabric, draping us all, its threads knitting our spirits together. The direction in which we try and pull the thread is completely our call. Put in any way, love is everything to do with making contact, with movement, forward or backward, with reaching out, connecting, feeling. Love is a way of life. To quote a popular movie - 'Love actually..is all around us!'
Having written so much about love being something beyond selfishness, I suddenly cease to wonder, is there anything in the world that is actually unselfish? Funny thing is, even though love can give rise to the most irrational, passionate and seemingly selfless act, doesn't such an act also make one feel good, even if momentarily. Even small acts of love usually create an atmosphere of goodwill. Does any good selfless deed actually exist?(courtesy Joey : Friends ) . Another thought does come to mind. Can anyone actually love others but not himself?..coz if he can't..that means u've got to be selfish in order to be selfless..which is quite obviously, a severe contradiction. Although I am pretty much satisfied with my perception of love..I guess I've pretty much blown away the base of my own definition. Yes..love is everything to do with passion and connection..but is it actually selfless? I don't think I can answer that. You people are, of course, free to debate. Let's just say that even though coming up with a definition for love is indeed an arduous task..it is a way of life..it is a reason for life.
posted by Kunal C | 12:05 AM
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1 comments
