Love

What is love?
How would you define love?

Questions, practically everyone has thought about.

Love, I reckon, has many facets to it. At its core, love, for me, is a warm and encompassing feeling. It's a sense of belonging, the feeling of home. It, just is. There's a tenderness to it, along with a flaming passion. You stop looking in the mirror, and see only yourself. Instead, you see yourself with others. That's love.

Family, aren't just exemplified by blood. Family is denoted as people who accept the true you, flaws, shortcomings, quirks and all; Blood becomes family, friends evolve into family, and lover/partner grows into family.

Again, a multi faceted emotion. It starts off, as a trickle of endorphins; you feel good. Similar to a peacock, you preen and show off the best of you, to attract the attention of the best that's out there. As time passes, and the dance prolongs, constant impressing no longer becomes a need/must. Instead, you start lowering your defenses, allowing entry to your inner thoughts, truer emotions, darker secrets.

When the rejection everyone secretly fears doesn't come, and instead, you're greeted with acceptance, that's why you start shedding the mask that you've been wearing for so long it melds into your skin. With each piece you shed, you expose the true you to that person. By now, the feeling isn't just a trickle of feeling good. Enough time would have passed, that you've experienced ups and downs, as part of the acceptance and acknowledgement process. There's an accompanying tender fondness when you look at that person; a well of desire that sets you ablaze and makes you want to show the world that this person chose you.

Sexual desire, that carnal pleasure. You crave for their touch, that just a look, can make you want to bring them to a plateau, that only you have the privilege to. You want to share that moment of utter intimacy and vulnerability with the person you entrusted the most fragile part of your being. A single touch from them, would be enough to unleash that torrent of want and need.

A sense of belonging, sense of home. An impression of comfort and safety. That's what a hug could bring and mean. Home is where the heart is. A warm home, with hot food on the table, comfy bed and the feeling of being welcomed; that's the truest gift one could hope for, for these can't be replicated with money. If these doesn't come from the heart, food wouldn't be palatable, and as warm the home could be, temperature wise, it'll leave a chill in your heart. A hug is similar. If the person hugging you, doesn't love you, a hug is just an impersonal action.

When you stop seeing just yourself in the mirror, and start seeing someone next to you, that's love. You don't make plans based on your own whims and desires. You start making plans with another person in mind, and take into consideration their likes/dislikes, whims and desires. You'll be mindful of how that person feels, maybe not all the time, but most of the time. Sketching a future together: what to do, where to go, how to be.

Love, sometimes smacks you in the face and be like: Hey I'm here! Take me!
Love, sometimes, creeps up unannounced; till one day you wake up and see love staring back at you.

Love, can be a fast yet shallow river bed, that all too often, runs out quick.
Love too, can be a slow and deep stream, that endures harsh droughts.

Love, is akin to giving someone the key to the greatest treasure chest.
Love too, is the sharpest blade you'll ever gift someone.

A double edged sword, that almost everyone pursues. Some lucky ones, identify and find it almost immediately. Some, need a lesson or two, or several, before recognizing what they seek. Some even had it, but let it slip them by. Love doesn't turn back, slows down or stop. It's constantly on the move, so once you've got it, don't let it slip you by.