Sanskrit has 96 words for "love", from Sneha a maternal love, to Kama - erotic or amorous love, Rati - enjoy or delight in something or someone, to Priya or "darling", often reserved for love a little girls in India and Nepal.
In the English language we have one word: Love. Love with its several definitions. Websters Dictionary primarily defines it as a noun. A noun? A person, place or thing. Hmmmm.
As a noun Love then is defined as: tender affection, or warm, personal attachment or sexual passion or desire. That could mean anything from "yummy soup" to "I want to rip your clothes off". Confusing, at best. So much is left up to the listener to figure out the nuance of your spoken words "I love you".
Such is the English language.
But, I challenge something different- something that can clear the air about Love. I think love isn't primarily a noun. It isn't the Webster's limited verb scope usage, either. I don't think the verb used to conjugate an object and a predicate (as in "Her fans love her") is enough for this powerful word. I think the definition, is off. I think it's verb meaning is deeper than that. Love pun intended.
Love is a verb, but only through its use as an action.
The little things, the big things ... the daily things that we as a human species do for our fellow humans. The efforts we give, the encouragements, the tone and the purpose of those tones (soft and pleasant, or forceful and directed) ... to help others. I'm often asked why something tastes so good, to wit I proffer "It was cooked with love".
The way in which we do communicate, act, show up, support, encourage, titillate, humor, cook for, watch over, do laundry for, clean, wipe and burp are .... all Love!
The absense of love is the absence of doing for other humans. Babies who aren't held are shown to be in trauma by many studies. Trauma ! If we negate "not doing" it becomes doing, which is an action, is therefore a verb. It's simple equation reduction that brings me to this final answer: Love = a verb, but moreso, Love = an act of doing.
An axiom I have held as true: the opposite of love isn't hate. No, it isn't. Hate has its place in the yin-yang of the universe as dark form of love. Some will gravitate to it, to their own hurt. Hate is like a fallen angel type of feeling, that shouldn't land on you. It is best to process through and let go. You have to care about someone to really hate them. But why be dark? Forgive, forget. Get back to Love.
No, the "not doing", or the opposite of love is indifference. It is both milquetoast and debilitating, this thing called indifference. It's the opposite of connection. When we feel another person's indifference it sends a chill through our heart, it's palpable in reverse. Why?
Because we want to be acted upon, feel that connection ... we want to be loved.
Taking that apart in- and difference, means not making a difference; So we musn't be indifferent.
As a verb, Love must be shown through action - so make a difference in someone else's life today!
Do something for someone and you will be defining your verb, your action, your Love.
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