It’s the same old question…what is love, how do you love, and why do we love?
On a day to day basis I say I love so many things. I love my rabbit, Easter, I love chocolate, I love my garden, I love children, I love food, and when I say those things it is true! I feel full of sweetness, and heart pounding gratitude. But I love these things differently. For example; as far as loving things I don’t nor am I driven to do things for them. I don’t care to do acts of kindness for chocolate, or for food in general. When I love a book I’m reading I don’t want to give it a surprise to show how much I love it but I DO recommend it to friends.
When I love people or animals I usually do things for them. When I love a friend or a family member I will usually take notice of things that they love, and give that thing or do something for them that I think they will appreciate. When I love the kids I babysit I will plan activities that I’ve noticed the children really care about, for example; I babysit a little boy who adores robots, and can’t seem to get enough of them. I heard about an exhibit of robots that other children had created, and I took him to the exhibit more then a year ago, and to this day he still talks about it.
How do you love? How do you show your love for your children, your parents, your friends? Is it different, and if so why? Love is such a complex term, and yet we toss it around all the time. I’ve actually told people that I barely know that I love them. Why? You know when you’re in a group of people that you’ve been a part of for awhile like a book group for example and for some reason you say “I love you guys”, and then the group falls apart for whatever reason, and you don’t even think about them again. Is that love? Sure, I made snacks that I thought they would like, I hosted activities that I thought the group would enjoy. Was that really love?
There is a Cowboy Junkies song that interprets love in lyrics:
If I pour your cup, that is friendship
If I add you milk, that is manners
If I stop there, claiming ignorance of taste
That is tea
If I pour your cup, that is friendship
If I add you milk, that is manners
If I stop there, claiming ignorance of taste
That is tea
But if I measure the sugar
To satisfy your expectant tongue
Then that is love
But if I measure the sugar
To satisfy your expectant tongue
Then that is love
Sitting untouched and growing cold
Songwriters
MICHAEL TIMMINS
Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Maybe this is how we love; it is going the extra mile for the people we love to show them how much we care and love them. I “measure the sugar to satisfy the expected tongue” frequently but sometimes not nearly enough.
