Definition Essay Love Is Not All

The word love encompasses a variety of different strong emotional, mental, and physical states, ranging from the deepest possible interpersonal connection with another person to the simplest pleasure. The love for a mother differs dramatically from the love of a significant other. But what is passionate, romantic love? When you search for ‘love’ and its definition, one of the first things you see is “the unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the good of another” (Love). But, how do you define a universally used term that means so many different things to so many different people? People’s definitions, beliefs, and ideas concerning love can vary significantly. The varying uses and meanings of the word, accompanied by the complex emotions it represents, makes love uniquely difficult to consistently and accurately define with a single definition. Similarly, cultural differences in the concept of love make a universal definition that much more impossible. Modern day, society portrays love as a force that transmits purpose into one’s life and can overcome all obstacles. Love, as portrayed in movies, is seen to trump all else and people are made to feel that they aren’t living their best life if they have not find their ‘soulmate.’ As Anna Goldberg states, “It is so evident in books and movies that females should aspire to feel “loved”

In the poem “Love is not All,” poet Edna St. Vincent Millay states that “Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink/Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain.” To revise Edna Millay’s message, romantic love cannot help individuals to survive, for it is not a necessity and should not be held at a higher value than life essentials; such as food, water, a home, self-love and care, and a loyal support system. However, both experiencing and not experiencing romantic love can have a significant impact on the quality of individual’s lives, and their