When it comes to love, many people struggle with defining it. This is mostly because love is a feeling that is difficult to pin down. In addition to this, the nature of this emotion can change over time. This is why it is so important to understand what love is and how it can be developed.
One of the best ways to define love is by looking at how it manifests itself in a relationship. This can include things like sacrifice, compassion, and a deep level of caring for another person. This is what makes long-lasting relationships so special. It is also the reason that we are so in awe of couples who have been together for years and still manage to maintain a healthy and passionate connection.
While it may seem that the concept of love is a bit unstructured, there are some basic ideas that can help you to understand it. First and foremost, it is important to remember that love is a verb, meaning that it is more than just a feeling. In order to truly love someone, you have to show them that you care for them and that your actions are backed by words.
A lot of people struggle with understanding what love really means, especially in the context of a romantic relationship. They may see themselves as unable to “fall in” with someone, or they might feel that they are not in the right place to be in a relationship. However, this is far from the truth. Love can be cultivated in just about any environment, and there are plenty of people who have found the right partner for them even when they were not sure it was possible.
For centuries, we have been confused about the origin of love, but it is now understood that it starts in the brain. The chemical oxytocin, or the ‘cuddle hormone’ is responsible for making us feel that we are in love. This is the same chemical that is released during childbirth, which demonstrates just how important this bond is to mammals.
Love is an evolutionary trait that evolved along with social interactions. These social interactions are present in primitive invertebrates and bacteria, and are crucial to supporting homeostasis, growth and reproduction. Over the course of mammalian evolution, these biological components were repurposed and co-opted into social behavior that allows humans to form lasting relationships.
When we think of love, we tend to focus on the feelings associated with it, which are often intense. These can include obsessive thinking, focused attention, aggrandizing of the other person’s traits and worth, and minimizing their faults. It can also include emotional dependency, jealousy, mate guarding and sexual desire. It can also lead to ecstasy, despair and separation anxiety.
While this is a good start, it is not enough to define love. We have to be able to stand in it. That is, we have to be able to practice loving values and standards like empathy, respect, vulnerability, honesty and, if Velleman is right, celebrating the other person for who they truly are.
