This age-old question has been argued, debated, and philosophized from the very inception of time. I'm sure Adam and Eve were debating this topic with each other back in the Garden of Eden. Or, if you believe in evolution, then some of our hairy little cousins were screaming at each other in monkey gibberish about this very same topic.
Something so simplistic yet a bare ocean full of different possible meanings and explanations. Poems, movies, songs, lyrics, novels, stories, sonnets, statues, paintings, sculptures, buildings, cities, states, countries, and even wars waged.
All in the name of the most powerful four letters ever linked together by mankind. The meaning itself has evolved over the centuries, yet at its core remains true today.
Great poets and writers like my boy Billy S. who grew up in the 1500's. Sorry, you probably know my Billy Boy by his more famous and formal name, William Shakespeare who has created endless masterpieces of literature all in the name of defining love (such as the snippet below of his genius that he wrote about what is love.)
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes. Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers' tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet." - William Shakespeare
A madness most discreet. God, I love that line. I would have loved the chance, just one time, to get totally drunk with that man for a night over some good ole Jack Daniels. I won't try to bore you with my weak attempt to define love in a manner such as William Shakespeare.
How did people define love before Christ's time? I'm talking 384 B.C folks.
Way back when people actually prayed and worshipped to Zeus, Athena, Aries, Apollo, Aphrodite, and the other Greek gods. Did they think differently about what is love compared to our modern day materialistic society.
Perhaps, but then again, maybe not. One of my favorite all-time philosophers I believe says it amazingly in just ten poetic words he strings together. He needed just ten words to sum up man's total reason for being on this earth.
"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle
Take a hard think break and ponder that deeply laced statement for a quick second. A single soul inhabiting two bodies. What beautiful insight and wisdom that even thousands of years later has such a profound effect on yet another generation of people.
We have now got a definition of what is love from a famed 1500's writer and a B.C (Before Christ) philosopher. I think it would be only fitting to include a quote from a famed writer and director from the ultra modern 20th century, don't you?
In comparison, you might see a slight difference that the times have had on our perceptions of how we define what is love and how it feels.
I was nauseous and tingly all over... I was either in love or I had smallpox. - Woody Allen
Love him or hate him, Woody Allen - an American original. Love or small pox! I agree with Woody there about the same, really! I haven't had small pox but I bet it's not the most pleasant, I imagine. Ok, the whole married-his-adopted-daughter thing was beyond icky and just perverted! But, if he had done that in Kentucky, it would have been no big deal!
Sigh... I'm exhausted now, aren't you. In that short time we covered the centuries in history and how they each perceived and tried to define what is love.
Quit dodging the question already, and just tell them what love means to your way of thinking! Sorry you'll have to go to part two for me to unfold my answer.
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