Whenever I hear this question, some quotes from one of my favorite movies of all times come to mind. In Moulin Rouge, a poor poet is in love with a cynical courtesan, and when she says she couldn't fall in love, he tells her, "a life without love, that's... terrible...Love is like oxygen! Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!"
I watched that movie a long time ago, when I too was beginning to ponder the meaning of love, and I'll like remember those words forever. Another quote that has stuck too is when one of the characters says of love, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." I totally agree. It takes courage to love, and when your love is returned, it can be beautiful.
The other exposition about love which I hold close to my heart is the one by Paul in ICorinthians 13: 4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
As a growing young woman with toasters and suitors regularly vying for my attention, and my emotions, I had to come up with my own understanding on love. This was what I came up with using my "romance meets life" practical mindset...
Love is...
the connection of two hearts
When two people touch each other’s soul
Love is...
honesty and trust
With patience and understanding
Love is...
helping one another
When there is mutual respect
Love is...
walking hand in hand
To reach your dreams together
Love is...
forgiving the others wrongs
That differences may be worked out
Love is...
the absolute belief
That there is a happily ever after
I have written two other poems about love, Is this Love? and L is for Love.
In the video below, several celebrities describe what the think or feel love is. I liked Chigurl responses the best, they are the most mature and sound like she's speaking from experience. She says it's when someone makes you a mumu, a magnificent but a ba*tard feeling, when that somebody says jump and you say - to where, and how high? Being in love myself, I can definitely relate :)
So what is the b*stard feeling about love? It is when you love someone who doesn't love you and you begin to accept and excuse their mistreatment of you and your individuality.
And the mumu-mumu thing about love? It is the ability to compromise. Compromise is a good thing because it allows you to accept people as they are, not as saints or as devils. If the person loves you back, they usually don't mean harm for you and are simply showing they are unique individuals, just as you are. Compromise makes you try to see where your lover is coming from, and to find a middle ground that works for both of you.
Another mu-mu thing about love is that, some stupid
ReplyDeletethings you do for the one you love are things you can never do for any other.
Interesting answers,i second Love is the thing that makes u do mumu things.lol
ReplyDeleteIts makes u do good things & extremely bad things in most cases.
On a controversial note,i once said Love is the root of all Evil.
Love allows you to go the opposite diection for the one you are 'dying', even when the world screems 'no'.
ReplyDeleteYou are in love when there's someone who presses your mumu button and like Chigurl said asks you to jump and you ask " to where and how high"
ReplyDeleteI think you can tell so much about a person (and what's truly important to them) by his/her definition of love
ReplyDelete..........love is a conscious effort and not an automatic response...
ReplyDeleteI co-sign this
DeleteI like your definitions of love. It's many things that combines into something wonderful. It's unique to each person.
ReplyDeleteLove is a feeling....*MJ voice*
ReplyDeleteLoools. Loved Chi-gurl and Praiz' definitions. The mumu thing about love is when you are in love there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you can't and won't want to do for the one/ones you love. When everybody dey say no go dia, that na where you ma would go because you are in love; on cloud 9. However, I think it is just a phase in "this love thing". When eyes open, you start to redefine that mumu mumu part.
ReplyDeleteI loved Chigurl and Waje. Tiwa is funny sha, wats she scared of? As for me I no do mumu for love o.
ReplyDeleteFirst Corintians is the ish. Myne, I should have known you are a mumu for love too, hahaha
ReplyDelete