Socializing Sundays: What Is Love?

Baby don't hurt me....

     There comes a point in many a relationship where you reach the next level and give it that controversial label: love. What is love? In my opinion there are many types and levels of love. At the base, there is the love for inanimate objects in general and activities. For example, I love chocolate and geocaching. The next level is love for specific objects and/or activities. In this case, I love kit kats (above other chocolates). My love for these "things" is unwavering but may fluctuate in intensity from day to day or week to week.

     More so than an inanimate object is the love for a person. Still, this love is broken up into levels and types. I love my mother (what some would refer to as unconditional love). Love for family is a bit different than the love you might feel for a good friend. "I love you, dude!" may be a sarcastic remark but it can hold true. There is and can be love in a friendship. Friends are like family some would say and even though blood is thicker than water, my love runs deep because we chose to be friends with one another.

     Then there is the love of a significant other. The problem with this type of love is that there are so many expectations placed on it that it is doomed to fail from the start. Love that lasts a lifetime is a rarity and doesn't take into account that people change. You may not have the same friends you did several years ago, they fade in and out of your life, not a big deal. But when lovers come and go, it is more consequential. Is there lasting love? Is romantic love restricted to one at a time, aka serial monogamy? Or is there a "soulmate" for everyone, meaning you get one and only one chance at happily love ever after? There are so many questions in regards to this type of love, that you may begin to question the very essence of love. What is love?