Skip to main content

Love means to see the one you love happy

Every day is a new beginning to celebrate one's love. 

 Yet some uncomfortable questions arise: 

  • How open are we to love? 
  • Do we take the one we love for granted?
  • Is there something that can be done to bring happiness to yourself and the person you love? 
  • Sometimes, can letting go be the best option? 

Love - a much maligned, abused word. How many times have we heard it, said it and not meant it? Billion? Zillion? Or have you hesitated to say it at all? Or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who have experienced love in a most beautiful way? Good for you! That is the way it should be.
But if you have been let down by some one you love, don't let it define the rest of your life or make you feel worthless. Far from it - you have learned something and you WILL move on to a happier self though it may not seem evident at the time. Remember this, no matter what happens: Nothing is permanent - not even our troubles. 


How to love with all the passion and truth in you? Here's what I believe works best: Mean what you say. Say what you mean. That's the only way to demonstrate love.

 And for me personally, this is my favorite definition of love and it's from none other than Nicholas Sparks: "Love means to see the one you love happy. True love means that you care for another's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

 Over to you - how do you define love in your life? Is there a quote, an expression or experience that brings you closer to your quest for love? Do share it here. I'd love to know.
Labels:

Comments

KParthasarathi said…
I agree with the quote you gave at the end.
I would define true love as merging of two selfless hearts living for the other without expectations other than love.But if you dissect love too much its beauty is lost.
February 2, 2014 at 8:46 AM
SoulSpace said…
Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves her. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in her, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true. — P.111-112

A thought transfixed me: for the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth — that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still knows bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. — P.37

These are from Viktor Frankl's Man in Search of Meaning

For me He says it all
February 11, 2014 at 12:52 AM
vinny said…
Completely agree with what Sowmya has shared from Victor Frankl's book 'Man's search for meaning'.

Remembered a story about a family living alone in a deserted, snowy place. The mother starved herself so that her children and husband could eat the few grains that grew in the little fertile patch they had built. She died soon after.

Love is the only emotion that can make our lives worthwhile, even if it is for a short span.
March 1, 2014 at 7:26 PM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
@KP Parthasarathi - Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated.

@Sowmya Srinivasan - I have no words!Because I have just completed reading Viktor Frankl's Man in Search of Meaning. Like you have written here, those exact words overwhelmed me beyond words. It is just so simple, deep and touches a chord within us. That is the absolute truth of life which he captured from living a life of torture in a concentration camp!

Hats off to you Sowmya for taking out time to share this INSPIRING quote here.

@Vinaya I know Vinaya and that is a lovely story you shared here too.

Man's eternal quest is not for happiness or riches or pleasure but to find that love that makes his life worthwhile. I truly believe that love can be in any form and in any scale. For some, it could be an individual. For others, such as Mother Teresa, it could be love that is practiced at a greater scale. Whatever the form or scale, I believe that it is love alone that makes our life meaningful and worthwhile.
May 24, 2014 at 2:45 PM
Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born
180 comments
Read more

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v
1 comment
Read more

Saaradhi Malayalam movie review: A watchable film starring Sunny Wayne; but no action, no drama

Saaradhi Malayalam movie review: Watching 'Saaradhi', a Sunny Wayne starrer, got me thinking about life and death. The story revolves around an ambulance driver rushing with a dead body at the back of his vehicle and then getting trapped in an unexpected situation beyond his control. Gradually, the ambulance driver finds himself becoming 'attached' to the dead body. Now, that is the peg of the film which somehow gets lost in the movie altogether! While this film has no comedy scenes, memorable songs, it still kept me alert.                                                   [Source: YouTube] So, my son and I started watching the film and yes, there were several stretches in 'Saaradhi' that were boring.  Firstly, Sunny Wayne was simply not getting into the skin of the protagonist. His timing was definitely off.  Saaradhi Malayalam Movie Review: Timing a key problem In Malayalam movies, timing is everything, and it is what adds punch to every dialog
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the story of Shivaji? The great son of a great mother called Jijabai

Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks!   [ READ: Significance of Surya Argya  and How do you Light Deepam? ] Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter  Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj,   the more fascinated I am.   I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books! As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to great mothers who
1 comment
Read more

Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini asks serious questions but fails to deliver a meaningful impact

I like movies that show strong women.  I had great expectations from Aashiq Abu's latest Malayalam movie - Rani Padmini.  The two heroines Manju Warrier and Rima Kallingal demonstrate commendable chemistry despite a poorly paced script and badly written screenplay.  W hile Jinu Joseph is impressive as the racer, there is no chemistry with Manju Warrier. The vibes are sangfroid between the two actors.  The first half of the movie puts you on edge. You keep waiting for a spectacular story but the second half is where the story "begins."  The pace of the film is inconsistent. The 'Ant" story and also the 'paragliding' scenes were stretched to too slow. Then suddenly, the narrative becomes too pacy. Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini Story The story goes like this: Padmini  (starring Manju Warrier)   is a Malayali girl married to a Delhi based racing car driver, whose name is Giri (starring Jinu Joseph). The couple love
1 comment
Read more