WHAT IS LOVE?

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends!

What is love, one might ask? There are countless definitions and books written on this matter, so I'll try to come with my own perspective. From a philosophical standpoint, I love someone as much as I respect, protect, and enhance their freedom. That's my threshold before entering a relationship, of any kind. Because loving someone is giving them space to bloom, to express their uniqueness, to work out their individuality. Once you force someone's freedom into a cage, you're killing it, and that's not love, but selfishness. The bond between two people shouldn't be a chain, but a road towards mutual discovery. You don't love to possess, but to set free.

Secondly, love is about being true to yourself before sharing anything with the others. So that when you open your heart, you have nothing to hide and nothing shaky. Although, make sure the walls of your heart can sustain an earthquake because those who enter could also leave it and the emptiness hurts, for a while. But in the long run, truth always come through.

From a more psychological perspective, love is as big as the room you can make for someone in your life. And it's not about space, but about time. How much time are you willing to give someone and when. It's ok to be selfish with your time, but try to be inclusive, to share it as often as possible. Everyone's time has value because it's a limited resource, but don't try to sell, borrow, or buyback it. The best investment is to give it as a gift. Spending time with someone should be a gift you give, not a business you make. So wrap your time in love and give it to those you care, without interest or regrets. Love is tax free.

Finally, love is being present where your presence is needed. Most people see love as a feeling, but real love is real people making an impact on lives of those around them, making their lives better. You don't love in the abstract because love is not metaphysics. Your love must intentional, directional, altruistic, and impactful. Love is an act, not a wishful thinking.