The Four-Letter Universe
The word "love"
has many dimensions and depths, and its meaning evolves for people at different
stages of life. Here is a journey through life, exploring the concept of love.
As children, we often
viewed the phrase "I love you," exchanged between adults, as
inappropriate—a reflection of our innocence. In our teenage years, we longed to
say "I love you" to our crushes; this was adolescence in action.
Once we reach a stage
where we feel confident about our future, we may meet someone we believe is
meant for us—that's love at first sight. However, fear of rejection often stops
us from saying "I love you" outright. Instead, we might say,
"I’m interested in you," or ask a friend to convey our feelings. If
all goes well, hearts unite, marriages are registered, and a new chapter of
love begins. Yet love often faces challenges—religion, caste, nationality,
status, and misunderstandings can get in the way. Not every love story leads to
marriage, and in those cases, the word "love" can feel abandoned.
Not all marriages
start as love marriages, but after the ceremony, every marriage transforms into
one in its own way. Soon, we begin to hear "I love you" from
our children, sometimes in exchange for chocolate, trips, or other treats.
As time passes, work
can become complicated for some and monotonous for others—a race to prove who
is better. In such moments, when we contemplate quitting, we might be
encouraged to "love our job." Here, love shifts from being about
people to being about our actions. Some employees embrace this and grow to love
their work, while others may not feel passion for their jobs but love the
security they provide, which enables them to perform. One thing is sure: Love
drives us to excel.
Once we enter our
50s, some individuals remain fit, while others may inherit health conditions
along with wealth; some may only inherit illnesses. At this stage, caring for
our health becomes paramount. Essentially, we must learn to love ourselves to
lead disciplined lives and avoid the pain of disease. The grand revelation is
that while others may come and go, the one who loves us most is ourselves. We
need to love ourselves deeply to age gracefully and depart peacefully.
The word
"love" has four letters, just like "soul,"
"body," "hope," "care," and "kind."
Together, these words embody the essence of "life," which also
consists of four letters.
Let us love ourselves
so our souls may find peace.
Let us be kind to
ourselves so we can hope for a better life.
Let us take care of
our bodies so that they will take care of us.
To an innocent child,
"I love you" may feel like a taboo, but as we grow older, we
understand that love is life and life is love.
M.L. Narendra Kumar
Comments
Post a Comment