As few as three words can express that deep, unconditional, everlasting feeling that one has for those close to their hearts. Yet, my parents have never uttered the words “I love you” to one another, let alone to their children. Others my age receive more affirmations on a daily basis than I’ve received in the entire summation of my life. Our household, in that respect, is a loveless one.
“I love you” is never exchanged in my household because it doesn’t need to be said. For their lack of hugs and kisses and other forms of displayed affection, my parents still love me. I know the hardships that they’ve endured so that I may have a better future. I know their sacrifices. I know their priorities. I know that at the end of the day, they put every one of my little, sometimes stupid, ambitions above their own.
If the most affection can exist without being expressed, then simply using “love” in a sentence doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
Love is a new fashion statement. You love your best friend (months later, your disposition will alter to sheer hatred toward that heinous cow). You also love to watch movies on a rainy Sunday. And you absolutely love, love, love those open-toed Gucci sandals at Neiman-Marcus. One can’t merely like something, one must love it. There is obviously a clear distinction between the love for your significant other and the love that you have for a pair of gorgeous footwear. Yet, we use the same term to describe both. People use love to describe a whole spectrum of emotions—from like to overwhelming obsession. Love is an abused term.
Does our overuse of “I love you” take away from its inherent meaning? And if we love everything, do we actually love anything?
More than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, and those statistics are climbing. At one point or another, all these couples were in love. They may have even said those words on a daily basis. They loved each other so much that they promised “until death do us part.” Yet, that promise disintegrates and love becomes dispensable.
Statistics for infidelity are between 50 and 70 percent, depending on the source. But, that only includes people who actually admit to cheating. And then there’s the issue of what is considered cheating? Physically having sex with someone: obvious. Cyber sex, phone sex, text sex: not so obvious.
In the moment when you disregard your partner’s feelings to satisfy your own carnal pleasures, love fades into the background. Or maybe it turns off temporarily. Did these people, who were once so head-over-heels in love, forget about it?
But of course, love isn’t always enough. Differences in dreams, opinions and economic factors drive wedges between people and love is simply powerless against these forces. Love, the most powerful emotion known to man, is not enough. Love, which renders all of its victims completely and pathetically helpless, is not enough. Love, which can drive any average man to the brink of insanity, is not enough.
Love doesn’t seem all that special anymore. It’s not as unconditional. It’s not as everlasting. And it’s not as pure as we had built it up to be. Or maybe it is all of those things and we need to take care of it. If you overuse penicillin, it loses its effects. If you wear a bridal dress everyday, it would just be another dress. Like a prized possession, we should put love away for those deserving occasions.
“I love you” is never exchanged in my household because it doesn’t need to be said. For their lack of hugs and kisses and other forms of displayed affection, my parents still love me. I know the hardships that they’ve endured so that I may have a better future. I know their sacrifices. I know their priorities. I know that at the end of the day, they put every one of my little, sometimes stupid, ambitions above their own.
If the most affection can exist without being expressed, then simply using “love” in a sentence doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
Love is a new fashion statement. You love your best friend (months later, your disposition will alter to sheer hatred toward that heinous cow). You also love to watch movies on a rainy Sunday. And you absolutely love, love, love those open-toed Gucci sandals at Neiman-Marcus. One can’t merely like something, one must love it. There is obviously a clear distinction between the love for your significant other and the love that you have for a pair of gorgeous footwear. Yet, we use the same term to describe both. People use love to describe a whole spectrum of emotions—from like to overwhelming obsession. Love is an abused term.
Does our overuse of “I love you” take away from its inherent meaning? And if we love everything, do we actually love anything?
More than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, and those statistics are climbing. At one point or another, all these couples were in love. They may have even said those words on a daily basis. They loved each other so much that they promised “until death do us part.” Yet, that promise disintegrates and love becomes dispensable.
Statistics for infidelity are between 50 and 70 percent, depending on the source. But, that only includes people who actually admit to cheating. And then there’s the issue of what is considered cheating? Physically having sex with someone: obvious. Cyber sex, phone sex, text sex: not so obvious.
In the moment when you disregard your partner’s feelings to satisfy your own carnal pleasures, love fades into the background. Or maybe it turns off temporarily. Did these people, who were once so head-over-heels in love, forget about it?
But of course, love isn’t always enough. Differences in dreams, opinions and economic factors drive wedges between people and love is simply powerless against these forces. Love, the most powerful emotion known to man, is not enough. Love, which renders all of its victims completely and pathetically helpless, is not enough. Love, which can drive any average man to the brink of insanity, is not enough.
Love doesn’t seem all that special anymore. It’s not as unconditional. It’s not as everlasting. And it’s not as pure as we had built it up to be. Or maybe it is all of those things and we need to take care of it. If you overuse penicillin, it loses its effects. If you wear a bridal dress everyday, it would just be another dress. Like a prized possession, we should put love away for those deserving occasions.
No comments:
Post a Comment