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Monday, May 21, 2012

What is LOVE?


Four quotes to think about:
"When a couple falls out of love, they may begin to really love."

"The person who truly loves does so because of a decision to love…True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed. It is a committed, thoughtful decision."

"Love is a form of work or a form of courage."

"The desire to love is not love itself…Love is an act of will…Will implies choice…if we are in fact not loving, it is because we have chosen not to love and therefore do not love despite our good intentions."

- M. Scott Peck, M.D.

These four quotes on love are various passages from one of my all-time favorite books, The Road Less Traveled, given to me by a dear friend. A long time ago, this book helped me find satisfaction and happiness in my life, especially in regards to love. After reading this book, I came to realize that true love is a choice you make about your partner. It is not at first a feeling, but a choice. Not a matter of the heart, but of the mind. Only after you've made the choice to love him or her can you move forward to feeling what true love feels like. And that feeling is not one of butterflies in the stomach or weak knees. The easiest way for me to describe it is quite simply satisfaction, comfort, and acceptance. I know, I know--it doesn't sound as glamorous as the popular romanticized version of "love," but one thing is for sure: I'm a lot happier now than I was before.

So no matter what stage you are in life, whether you have found love or not, may you find these quotes as helpful as I have.

9 comments:

Aiden said...

Hi! Yeah, I'm pretty upset they canceled it, but anyway. Thanks for your comment. I hope all is well with you too...

We haven't checked in with each other in a while... how's that Reading Challenge going? I'm still at one book (never been so ashamed about my reading in my life) and I have exams coming up, but I'm hoping I'll have a chance to jump back in in July.

Also, I love those quotes. Who wrote The Road Less Traveled?

Cheers! :)

derp said...

interesting and insightful. i've always figured when asked "what is love"... "a verb".

MyBeautifulMalcontent said...

Aiden, those quotes were written by M. Scott Peck. It's a good self-help type of book. I normally don't read self-help books but that one is good.

Our reading challenge...that hasn't been going well for me either. At least we are both failing at it together. lol

Good luck on your exams. Are you graduating yet?

MyBeautifulMalcontent said...

derp, love is much more than a verb. :)

Aiden said...

Do you reckon there's any way we might still make it to 80 books? We have half a year left... yeah, seems pretty impossible. How about 50? Or at least 30. I will be disappointed if I don't manage to read 20 books minimum.

Thanks! Yes, I am. This Friday. I can't wait to be through with high school, haha. :D

derp said...

but it's much more simpler my way

: )

in any case:

Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink

Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;Nor yet a floating spar to men that sinkAnd rise and sink and rise and sink again;Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath,Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;Yet many a man is making friends with deathEven as I speak, for lack of love alone.It well may be that in a difficult hour,Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,Or nagged by want past resolution's power,I might be driven to sell your love for peace,Or trade the memory of this night for food.It well may be. I do not think I would.
Edna St. Vincent Millay--

MyBeautifulMalcontent said...

Aiden, let's aim for 30 books? How about that? I think we are both struggling with our original goal. lol

Congratulations on your high school graduation! I'm happy for you and wish you the best in whatever comes next.

MyBeautifulMalcontent said...

derp, I love that poem. :) I used to teach it.

It would be nice if love was simple. I think many people would find life easier if love wasn't so complex. :)

Aiden said...

Yeah, I know I am. Okay then, 30 books it is. :D

Thanks! I'm not sure myself what will come next, but I'm hoping it will be good! :)