Young Writers Society

Love is a noun. Love is a verb. Love is a condition. Yet it is unconditional. It is something as abstract and unknowable as it is concrete. It is a duality that equally shapes and destroys. It means everything to everyone, even those to whom it means nothing.

Love is a force that shapes the universe. It has the power to unite beings of all sorts. It can cross boundaries of gender, race, and species, sometimes simultaneously. It is the thing that drives music—the one reason why songs are sung in the first place. It inspired self-expression and all that is creative in human civilization. All of the feats of humanity are tied to a desire. But, what desire? The desire for love from something earthly or something divine is the root of achievement.

A man’s love can move mountains. A woman’s love can shape the world. Divine love can define the universe, for an individual or an entire civilization. Religions revolve around it. Philosophies question it. Philosophies also affirm it. They also try to define it. Can you?

Love is the beacon of hope for all of humankind. I say this because I know what it is, or have at least done enough internal digging to derive a definition for it. To me, this is the definition of love:

“The authentic, unconditional, unwavering, undying attraction to, appreciation for, and dedication toward another’s existence and well-being.”

True love is such a heavy investment that its acceptance and rejection has come to define me. It has also shaped you, without regard to your knowledge of the matter. I’m sure others have created definitions for the word, but I find this one the most encompassing answer to the problems of love.

When love works (is reciprocated), the stars around you align in your favor. When the magic fades, the stars scatter beyond your limits. Love can destroy us. It is important to be aware of the balance required to maintain love throughout your lifetime. And, even more importantly, maintain stability for the sake of future generations. Every child is a lovechild as much as (s)he is a brainchild. Without love, there is no future and there are no children. That is the purpose of love.

Love is what completes us, whether we find it within ourselves or with the help of others. It is a gift of sentiment that creates feelings that cannot be described by words alone. Though we may delve deep inside our souls to scrape the very essence of our being to the surface for the world to see, all the delving in the world is worthless without someone to refill us with something better—a heightened awareness of all that’s beautiful in ourselves and in our world.

Let love reign o’er me, you, and everyone and everything else. May the force of love grant you enchantment for the rest of your time on Earth and beyond as I wish you good night! Live long and prosper.