Love: what is it? This is an inquiry that most, if not all, have pondered upon. For the most part, love is something that we all enviably desire; a lifelong craving that may stitch together our intentions, experiences, persona and the course of our very lives. Its aura coats us like the sweet scent of honey from our emergence into the world, down to our final breath. And even then, in the aftermath, its energy still lingers. Love is passion, commitment. It has inspired motivations, selfless acts, and has swayed the flow of history and greatly influenced people and societies. ‘Love’ is a very broad term. While a visualization of a romantic relationship may the first to come to many people’s minds upon the mention of it, love is demonstrated, acknowledged and celebrated in many other guises. How a parent loves their child is expressed very differently to how someone loves their spouse, but, overall, they share the same concepts of commitment, concern, appreciation, fondness, etc.; general notions of affection that are encouraged and expected by society and culture. As they all arise from the same foundations of union and selflessness, no form of love is superior or more imperative than another. …show more content…
An attraction that is motivated by satisfying one’s own needs or ego, or used as a tool to manipulate, is denied as a form of true love. ‘One cannot have a selfless experience if their ego and its selfish desires are too prominent in a relationship’ (Tom Pappalardo). In all its healthy forms it is expected to be unmitigated and unconditional. It is a vital aspect in a healthy relationship, especially for children who need to be shown from an early age that they are wanted and capable of being