The most important and prominent date in the month of February is none
other than the fourteenth: Valentine’s Day. It has been the celebration
of love since the 15th century AD. Lovers start getting ready for this
date months before. Many plan their weddings to be on this date. But,
what is the real meaning of love?
 There are so many kinds of
love: love for children, love for people, love for self, and even love
for chocolate and other things. What do we really mean when we tell that
special someone “I love you”? Many still don’t comprehend the vast
meaning of this four-letter word. They think that it’s just some
strange, irresistible feeling of attraction, physical and emotional,
towards someone.
However, nowadays love has
become more of a problem than a celebration of life’s gifts. Its meaning
and beauty have been widely disfigured due to misunderstanding. When we
love, we expect to be loved in return. And this is what is causing the
problem: expectation.
All the spiritual leaders that
descended to Earth stressed on the importance of love. However, some of
them such as Jesus Christ, Sri Krishna, and Buddha attached great
importance to a certain form of love: selfless love. In other words, it
is love for everything and everyone without caring about being loved
back and expecting nothing in return. They were able to love their worst
enemies and persecutors.
Amma, an amazing Hindu
spiritual leader, was once asked by one of her devotees “I cannot love
everyone, what can I do?” Amma answered “Don’t hate anyone then.”
Usually, we move from love to hate automatically when we are hurt. We
don’t realize that there is a middle way between the two “indifference”.
We need not hate someone if we don’t love them.
Selfless love is the love we
truly need. If we just give it a try, I’m sure we can enjoy at least one
day of immense bliss, happiness, and love.
Some sayings about love:
“The Universe we live in is the expression of God’s love for his
creation.” (Unknown source)
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the
Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” (The bible)
“If you have it [Love], you don't need to have anything else, and if you
don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.” (Sir James M.
Barrie)
"I met in the street a very poor young man
who was
in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, his cloak was out at
the elbows, the water passed through his shoes, but the
stars passed through
his
soul". (Victor Hugo)
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