Love Essay Research Paper Love is different

Love Essay, Research Paper

Love is different for each and every individual. It can be felt for a person, an object, a feeling or a way of life, making it difficult to encompass a true interpretation. In ancient Greek history, philosophic pillars such as Plato and Socrates divided love into either earthly or heavenly. Earthly love was a feeling of lust and sexual desire while heavenly love was shared both spiritually and intellectually. Personally, I believe love to be unconditional, selfish, obsessive, or romantic.

Unconditional love is unlimited love. It is a natural feeling that exists without any preconditions and is not dependant on anything. Unconditional love is a constant love, the type of love we receive from a mother, a father or even a pet. It is present all the time, under any circumstance. My dog Jake is the perfect example. When I leave the house in the morning he jumps at me, begging me to stay. When I return, he wags his tale, carries my slippers in his mouth and roams around the house humming with excitement. When I work on my computer he lies by my side. When I m sitting in front of the TV, he comes over in search of affection. When I think about it, my dog Jake is the epitome of unconditional love.

In contrast to unconditional love is selfish love. Rather than being endless, it is finite. This type of love is unreal, phony and not genuine. Used only to benefit oneself, or for the sake of receiving favours and pleasure, selfish love is harmful to the recipient. It appears only when something is needed yet is still difficult to recognize. A past experience with, what I thought was, a perfect girlfriend can prove this. At first, our relationship was quite normal, like that of any two adolescents. We hung out on the weekends, spoke on the phone and helped each other with our daily problems. However, after several weeks of friendship, the relationship intensified and I became extremely involved, providing her with absolutely anything she desired. In return, she constantly told me that I was a special person and that I meant everything to her. I got closer to her than I have ever been to anyone in my life. But in the end I realized that her love for me was illusory and self-seeking. In reality, I was being used.

Obsessive love is the relentless love one has for an item, a sport, a feeling or even a person. The desire a singer has to project her voice. The fondness a child has for a stuffed animal. The passion a football player has for running an 80-yard touchdown. The thrill a racecar driver feels when speeding around a track. It is infatuation, fixation, addiction, and lust. Obsessive love is a need, which often lives and dies quickly.

Finally, romantic love is the type that only grows with time. It requires patience and evolves only through the exchange of mutually beneficial values. Only when two individuals learn to compliment and understand each other s feelings and needs is this pure, true love really felt. Although partly based on sexual communion, romantic love relies mostly on intellectual connection. Intimacy and affection, commitment and dedication, communication and honesty are all involved. Romantic love is only felt towards another human being and often it controls the way people think, act and react. It is a special union which when experienced to its fullest extent provides an unmatchable feeling. Romantic love gives us a reason to live.

Love can be used to describe indescribable feelings. Love can be boundless or love can be restricted. Love can gradually flourish or love can quickly fade away. Love can mean absolutely everything or love can mean nothing at all. And as Benjamin Franklin once said If you would be loved, love and be loveable.