Love

The big one. The thing we all long for at our deepest core selves. Is it a thing? Is it an energy force? Is it a power? Is it tangible? What is “it”?!?

Here are my TWO favorite definitions of love. *trust me. I’ve been looking for awhile. These are CREAM OF THE CROP*

The first is given by a seriously talented, brave, brilliant author: Cheryl Strayed. *if you’re a friend of mine you’ve heard me tell this definition.* (sorry not sorry) I am obsessed with how encompassing she paints Love.

Sidebar: (I am capitalizing this L on purpose) I believe Love is the truest, most powerful force in existence. If one would capitalize names like George or Kevin… or even greater ones that are supposed to “be” love like… God, Allah, Vishnu, Zeus, Brahma and so on. If they can all have capitalized names… I motion that Love get added to the “proper noun” category of modern nomenclature. Maybe it will get slightly more respect if that little l becomes just a little bigger.

Maybe the world would be better if Love got a little bigger too?

But first, Cheryl’s Brilliant summation of “Love.”

“Love has everything to do with every answer I have give to everyone. Love is not so incomprehensible as you pretend sweet pea. Love is the feeling we have for those we care deeply about and hold in high regard. It can be light as the hug we give a friend, or heavy as the sacrifices we give our children. It can be romantic, plutonic, familial, pleading, everlasting, conditional, unconditional. Imbued with sorrow. Stoked by sex. Sullied by abuse. Amplified by kindness, twisted by betrayal. Depend by time, darkened by difficulty. Levened by generosity, nourished by humor and loaded by promises and commitments we may or may not want to keep. The BEST thing you could possibly do with your life… is to tackle the mother fucking SHIT out of love.”

Isn’t that GORGEOUS? It “almost” says it all. It definitely paints a very good picture doesn’t it? It is my belief that the rest of the world, for forever and ever will use all the metaphors, write all the lyrics, paint all the art, long for all the eligible partners, play all the music, create all the things, celebrate and try and encapsulate… but no matter HOW HARD we try… Love is that BIG thing you cannot ever box. It just “is”. And it is accessible to ANYONE and EVERYONE at ANYTIME and EVERYWHERE. It already exists in you if you exists. It is alive and it makes life worth living. Truly.

Let’s here one more “definition of Love” as said by a TEAM of social science researches, P.H.D. Educated, studiers of this very topic for YEARS and YEARS. (2 heads are better than one?) well how about a team of heads, with years of data, and endless revision and argument? They use their findings and were wise enough to choose a brilliant “spokeswoman” to promote this knowledge of Love to the masses.

So this is what the “team” of researchers came up with to define love. As told by Brene Brown *the spokeswoman* In a book less than 6 months old (so up to date data) titled: Atlas of the Heart.

It reads:

“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection.

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can be cultivated between two people only when it exists within each one of them- we can love others only as much as we love ourselves.

Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can survive these injuries only if they’re acknowledge, healed and rare.”

Well. There you have it. The best empirically driven approach to Love. Two angles. Just two. But two really good ones about “something” that would be SO wise to tackle the mother fu..…. *well you know the rest*

Go out there and TACKLE IT! I’ll be doing the same.

Sweet thing, thank you for reading. You are loved.

Love in.

Love out.

-Aubrey