What Does It Mean to Love?

One of the most complex and controversial facets of the human existence is the ability to love. As far as we're concerned, we're the only creatures capable of such a deep and intense emotion. And then there are humans that are incapable of love. We're basically told our entire lives that feeling love is paramount to the most amazing thing ever. Basically, a life without love is missing something.

But, is love really that simple? I mean, when people say that your life will be incomplete without love do they really mean love between two people? Is that it? We're not only limited in the fact that we have to feel love, we also have to find it with another person?

Now first, let me just say, there's a difference between romantic love and non-romantic love. In the big scheme of things, I guess it's really not that different, but for the moment let's pretend that it is. I love my dog, but I don't have any interest in marrying my dog. Would I be happy waking up to my dog every morning? Sure! But, it's different. My dog isn't a person. I can't talk to my dog. I mean, I can (and do) but it's not a conversation.

Maybe you have a better mastery on dog language, but for my purposes no conversations are to be had with the dog. The friendly mutt is limited to barking, slobbering, and panting for conversational excellence. And that's just fine. It doesn't change the fact that I love my dog. In fact, sometimes I love my dog more than people. But, she's a dog.

My friends are great people. I love them. I wouldn't trade them (well, most of them) for the world. They make me happy and I'm glad to know them. But, sometimes loving my friends is hard. They test my patience and do things that I would love nothing more than to slap them upside the head for. I still love them.

So, maybe my problem is that I love too much. I care too much. I've been accused of not caring at all by a multitude of people. But, it's just the opposite. I have to stop myself from caring, because if I do I care with my entire being. It's all consuming. There becomes no part of me that does not care about the issue at hand. So, maybe I am heartless. Maybe I am just a cold, unloving person because I force myself to not care.

But, let me ask you this: Just because I push people away, just because I don't want to be consumed by something, does that mean that I do not want to love, or that I am incapable of it? I think I'm just as capable as anyone else. I think that I have just as much potential to love. And I think that loving something in a completely non-romantic way is sometimes so much easier than loving something in a romantic way. Romantic love hurts. It makes you care and then it destroys you. So, yes, I think love is important and great and an amazing thing. But, loving my dog is just as important as loving my boyfriend in a lot of ways. And yes, I do love them both. Probably more than I should.

Intro to Blogging

It occurs to me that my life has been a little...well...I am stress. So, culturally, blogging is suggested. I figure what the heck. Writing is something that I enjoy decently well. I'm not too bad at it. And really, what does it matter how good I am? I'm talking to an audience that may or may not be out there. And, I need a break.

There's a quote from the movie Imitation Game. "What am I? Am I a human or am I a machine?" Some days, I feel this quote on a deep spiritual level. Sometimes it's hard. You just feel so tired of being something. Everyone always says to just be yourself, don't care what other people think. Well, newsflash, everyone does. And, what does it mean to 'be yourself'? How am I supposed to 'be myself'? I can't make up my mind about what I want for lunch, let alone about who I am as a person.

Here's another quote from Imitation Game. "Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." There are so many people in this world who have done amazing things. Indescribable things. People who have overcome everything. And here the rest of us are. We sit here, staring in awe at a group of people who have had the amazing gift of being incredibly, incredibly....well, for lack of a better term, lucky.

A quick note about me:

• I believe that all people are equal, but there are those who devalue themselves and there are those who have made themselves have higher value.
• I believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe that fate can change and destiny is open to interpretation.
• I believe in change. I don't believe all change is good, but I believe in it.
• I believe that history repeats itself and often we are too focused on the present and the future to look to our past.
• I believe that books and music are windows to the inner soul. Not all books are good and not all music is good, but all has some value. Even the most successful writer or musician has had a bad day. Not all famous writers and musicians experienced their fame.
• I believe that sometimes our best is someone else's worst, but that doesn't mean it's not good.
• I believe that sometimes we can try our hardest and still fail.
• I believe that life is not fair.
• I believe that nothing comes for free. Maybe the price isn't clear, but there is one.
• I believe that people are not naturally good or bad. We exist and circumstances make us what we are.
• I believe that how you react defines you, but definitions can change.
• I believe that we have souls.
• I believe in religion. It doesn't matter which one you practice. Religion is belief and belief makes things real.
• I believe that believing in something or someone gives it or them power that is not easily explained or destroyed.
• I believe that people think what they want and very rarely can you change that.
• I believe that sometimes, you don't have to work for something. Sometimes, things are easy. Sometimes, success is easy. And sometimes, failure is even easier.
• I believe that we all have problems. Some are big, and some are small. But, they are all problems. And to someone, all problems are life consuming. I don't think that's right, but that's what I believe.
• I believe, above all else, that there are some things that are impossible to explain. And maybe they shouldn't be.