What is Love?

cardero · Feb 3, 2007

Buttercup said:
Great post Patrick....there is much truth in your words. I am curious however as to what you mean by this statement?

cardero writes: There is no such thing as falling out of LOVE

Many people believe that they can roll away or stop love or even take away from it. If you loved something and decided to remove yourself from that love or are just not in acceptence of that kind of love anymore, I believe that the love that was given and shared is still present and sincere it just isn't afforded to grow any longer. I am very skeptical of someone who says that they do not love someone or something anymore. I think they mean that they may not be accepting or exercising that (kind of) love anymore.

unsaltednut · Feb 3, 2007

Love is not easy. When I think of love, I think of having mercy on the ones who are hardest to love. We don't think twice to give of ourselves and to give them the best we have. By loving others we see to it that they get ahead in life, when everyone else has left them behind.
Jesus sums it up nicely for me in Luke 10.

Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

Buttercup · Feb 3, 2007

cardero said:
cardero writes: There is no such thing as falling out of LOVE

Many people believe that they can roll away or stop love or even take away from it. If you loved something and decided to remove yourself from that love or are just not in acceptence of that kind of love anymore, I believe that the love that was given and shared is still present and sincere it just isn't afforded to grow any longer. I am very skeptical of someone who says that they do not love someone or something anymore. I think they mean that they may not be accepting or exercising that (kind of) love anymore.

I think your insights are very meaningful, Pat and also quite true.

What about when someone "thought" they loved another and then realized they "fell out" of love? Would you say love was never really there to begin with?

lilithu · Feb 3, 2007

Sunstone said:
If you understand through love for someone what their potential is and then further understand that they are not living up to it, in what way is encouraging them to live up to their own potential a violation of them? In what way is it telling them "change yourself!"? You are not really asking them to change themselves are you? Aren't you really asking them to "become what thou art"?

Yes, you are right. Thanks Phil.

cardero · Feb 3, 2007

Buttercup said:
I think your insights are very meaningful, Pat and also quite true.

What about when someone "thought" they loved another and then realized they "fell out" of love? Would you say love was never really there to begin with?

I dont think that this would be a regretted love, I believe that they have just (for lack of a better term) reinvented it. A very simple example of this is someone who loves vanilla ice cream but claims that they may have exhausted this love. Along comes someone and says have you ever had tried it dipped in a chocolate hard shell? Now this person has now reinvented their love for vanilla ice cream.

There was once a movie called Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind starring Jim Carrey that dealt with the topic of erasing a past love or of falling out of love. Now we know that this technology to perform this memory loss is not within our grasp (yet) but one of the messages of the movie was that we should cherish these moments because it is interesting to examine how we experience love when we are younger to how we express and accept love today.

Sunstone · Feb 3, 2007

Willamena said:
Yes; but attachment isn't free of love.

Very true. But when we love while emotionally attached, don't we tend to love the relationship more than the person?

Dolphin · Feb 3, 2007

When you feel caring a connection with a person or object in your heart.:bow:

Dolphin · Feb 3, 2007

It is generally unconditional....

Dolphin · Feb 3, 2007

Good answear Dolphin!!!:yes:

Buttercup · Feb 3, 2007

cardero said:
I dont think that this would be a regretted love, I believe that they have just (for lack of a better term) reinvented it. A very simple example of this is someone who loves vanilla ice cream but claims that they may have exhausted this love. Along comes someone and says have you ever had tried it dipped in a chocolate hard shell? Now this person has now reinvented their love for vanilla ice cream.

Hmm. I understand the point you are trying to make but I have to say that if I didn't love vanilla ice cream any longer and covered it with chocolate, I would probably eat the chocolate eagerly and throw away (or reluctantly eat) the vanilla part.

Applying this principle to my own life, I know without a doubt that I could never love my ex husband again in a romantic way. I care about what happens to him and his well being but any feelings of love have long since dissipated.

Is there something I'm missing in your analogy? Because I find your thoughts interesting and want to make sure I understand you correctly.

cardero · Feb 4, 2007

Buttercup said:
Hmm. I understand the point you are trying to make but I have to say that if I didn't love vanilla ice cream any longer and covered it with chocolate, I would probably eat the chocolate eagerly and throw away (or reluctantly eat) the vanilla part. Applying this principle to my own life, I know without a doubt that I could never love my ex husband again in a romantic way. I care about what happens to him and his well being but any feelings of love have long since dissipated.

Is there something I'm missing in your analogy? Because I find your thoughts interesting and want to make sure I understand you correctly.
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Youre doing fine.

I think that caring for his well being is an exemplary form of love. One can even practice this kind of love from afar. Love doesnt necessarily have to exist in the realm of the physical to be expressed. I think the one of things that love respects, is that one is sincere when displaying love. This way love can cover many aspects (parents, children, pets and if you prefer, vanilla ice cream).

cardero · Feb 4, 2007

Dolphin said:
Good answear Dolphin!!!:yes:

Fa loves Be.

Ozzie · Feb 4, 2007

Radio Frequency X said:
1. How do you define love?

2. How does it relate to your religious beliefs?

3. What is the role of love in your life?

Love is wanting to do something for someone without necessarily expecting something in return. It is in part co-dependency that inspires love, but while the need for reciprocation remains subconscious a sense of unconditional love is possible. Love has nothing to do with my religious beliefs. In my life, love guides where I should devote my energies to others.

A. Leaf · Feb 4, 2007

Love is, and leads to creation. Wether the love is for something or someone. Perhaps it could be a hobby, work, sport, fund raising organisation, relationship then it normaly leads to a positive creation. When the love is for money we see can see a negative creation, which at present climate change warfare would come straight to the fore.
Personal point of view of course.

Buttercup · Feb 4, 2007

cardero said:
I think the one of things that love respects, is that one is sincere when displaying love. .

I agree completely. In fact, I almost think of it as mortal sin when someone displays love falsely.

Love doesn't have to be grandiose displays of affection. There doesn't even have to be a history between people for love to truly be given. Sometimes love is simply a happy smile freely given to brighten someone's moment as they pass you by. Or holding the door open for a stranger who's hands are full. Love is even a passing compliment on someone's attractive tie. It's refreshing to think of love as being easy.

Willamena · Feb 5, 2007

Sunstone said:
Very true. But when we love while emotionally attached, don't we tend to love the relationship more than the person?

I doubt it. I'm not sure what that means.

love · Feb 7, 2007

I believe love is a spiritual emotion beyond the physical realm. Something you feel inside that cannot be fully explained with mere words.

What is Love?

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