What is Love?

Author
Karla Solano

Love is an emotion that has the power to move mountains. This feeling can bring forth extreme happiness, peace and light into our lives. And it can also stop us short on our tracks when the feeling is not reciprocal.

Let’s study the truth behind this emotion. To begin with, there are many different kinds of love. There is the love a mother can give which is unconditional, selfless and forgiving; then there is the love we feel for our family members which is a strong bond that we develop from the moment we are able to interact with them; there is the love we feel for our close friends who are with us through our toughest times. And then, there is the love we feel for a significant other; the love that can make us feel as though we are walking on clouds, a love that can make us sing, cry and laugh with total ecstasy. A bond so strong that we feel paralyzed when we lose it.

Although all of these different kinds of love share the same essence of the feeling, all have different wavelengths of intensity and they affect our lives in different ways. For example, the love of a mother which is irreplaceable gives us security, kindness and warmth. The love of our siblings and family members can give us a sense of belonging, a feeling of sharing and togetherness. The love of our friends allows us to connect with others in a more intellectual and emotional level since the friends we choose usually share a common ground with us. And then we have the love we feel for the person we choose as our life companion; in this scenario the feeling of love becomes very complex causing us to become vulnerable because we get blinded by our emotions and most of the time lose ourselves in the relationships we are in.

Falling in love with another person is wonderful when the feeling is reciprocal; because when the connection we feel is strong, it can give us the unstoppable sense of triumph over any obstacles. Love is powerful this way, it can make us feel happy and elevated as though nothing can hurt us, and it can also turn our environment into a beautiful and peaceful place to be. On the contrary, when love fades away and it turns into hate, chaos and drama it can cause disease, depression and a sense of loss of the control we have over our existence.

It is important to maintain a balanced emotional state of mind and our individuality when we are in a relationship, so that when the love fades away or when the feeling we have for someone is not shared in the same way, our true essence stays intact. Thus, allowing us to live a happy and grounded life no matter what the circumstances are.

Loving ourselves unconditionally and allowing us to be the priority in any relationship is not only healthy but necessary in order to be able to truly love others. Without self love it is impossible to have a healthy relationship because we will only be able to give as much or as little as we give ourselves. This is why it is essential to be happy with who we are, be respectful to ourselves without judgment, and take care of ourselves first before attempting to be in a loving relationship with anyone else; doing otherwise, can obstruct our road to happiness and personal fulfillment leading us to cause our own demise.

So learn to love without boundaries but being cautious not to lose yourself in the shuffle, loving yourself first and making sure to keep your true essence intact and balanced so that love can be manifested at its maximum capacity.