The Question That Sparks All Curiosity, Is Love Enough? How Could It Not Be?
Love, defined as “an intense feeling of deep affection,” encompasses a realm of positive emotional and mental states. We use […]
Cate Staff
Love, defined as “an intense feeling of deep affection,” encompasses a realm of positive emotional and mental states. We use this term to describe hobbies we find genuine interest in, people whom we care deeply for, a career that defines who we are, and much much more. Without love, what would be the driving force to endure anything? We simply need love in our lives, no matter the form it comes in. But, today I’m going to focus on it from the perspective of relationships- platonic, romantic, and family. And, maybe we can answer the question, is love enough?
What Does It Mean To Love Someone?
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We all experience love differently and have different ideas on how to express it. Heck, some people have no idea how to express it because they simply just weren’t taught how. Although it’s a natural instinct to love, not everyone is familiar with what those emotions actually mean when they feel them. That could be a result of how someone was raised or the type of relationships that they became accustomed to.
Love is often described as hard. And yes, it most definitely comes with its challenges but, it also comes with a lot of rewards. This is because love isn’t just a feeling but it’s also an action. To truly love someone (a partner, family member or friend) means caring for them in the ways that they need to be cared for with no strings attached. It’s meant to be genuine, not transactional.
Loving someone gives you a drive to do whatever you need to make that person happy. And don’t twist it. You aren’t supposed to completely drain yourself for another but, you fill them up when they need it and that person [hopefully] loving you the same, will do it right back. Keep note however, we all love differently. So, how you show your love to someone could be different from the way that they show you.
The Five Love Languages
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Let’s be real. Who hasn’t taken some sort of online quiz to find out their love language? Well, if you haven’t here’s what to know right now. There are five different ways in which we all give and receive love: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.
1. Words of affirmation – being built up by words. Spoken affection, praise, encouragement, and compliments speak to your heart and make you feel good. In turn, however, harsh words and criticism can bother you for a long time.
2. Acts of service – action, action, action. You want more than just be told, but you want to see their love. For example, if you typically cook dinner after work every evening but you’ve had a noticeably exhausting day, instead of your person letting you cook anyways, they take a turn at the stove instead. And, when laziness is present or promises are broken, feelings of being unimportant may occur.
3. Receiving Gifts – this doesn’t need to be seen as materialistic. It’s not about the size or the cost of the gift but rather, the thought behind it. Something as simple as, “I saw this candy at the story and thought of you so I bought it for later,” can make your heart smile. On the other hand, special events or receiving a generic, thoughtless gift can be a turn off.
4. Quality time – this type of love gives value to the time spent between people. Receiving someone’s full and undivided attention is important to you. In today’s world, it’s so easy to get caught up in cellphones and tablets. But, no relationship should suffer from that.
5. Physical touch – [appropriate] physical touch is heartwarming such as holding hands, kisses, and hugs. And, when someone neglects this type of action it can often drive a wedge between those involved.
Is Love Enough?
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Love is powerful, there is no doubt about it. It can make us do the craziest things but it can also give us the highest highs. In some cases, love might be enough. Some humans are capable of needing nothing more than to feel and be loved by a family member, friend, or partner. However, others might require more, and that’s okay. And, when I say “require more” I’m talking about motivation towards a career, passion for a hobby, financial stability, and whatever else. Love can take people far but, sometimes the mind and heart go deeper than emotion and needs more in order to continue sharing a relationship with someone or multiple people (friends or family) long term.
Tell me your thoughts. Is love enough [for you]?