Love. A four-letter word which sounds simple but in reality is not. Many among us would know Romeo and Juliet, who many people refer to as the epitome or the symbol of love. But is that what love is all about? Is it limited only to a man and a woman falling for each other and creating what we think is the perfect life for them?
Consider a pregnant woman, when she finds out that she is going to be a mother, isn't she ecstatic? Doesn't she do everything in her power to keep her child safe? Yes, she does. That's the deep abiding unconditional love of a mother towards her child. She shows it through several ways, like keeping her child's demands first, in place of hers.
There are numerous examples of love on this earth. Like a man can be in love with his career and it can be seen through the amount of dedication he puts to achieve it. A person can be in love with their pet animal and shows it by keeping the animal safe and secure and by providing it a better future. So why should we only show one side of it? Why not appreciate all aspects of it?
After going through these examples a question arises, what is the true meaning of love? Is it love, if we just take care of the person or consider their demands? No, it's not. Love is not just about looking after a person's needs, it's about sacrificing your own desires and helping the person develop themselves emotionally. It's about supporting your partner through all the problems and ups and downs in their life, helping them to overcome them, and making themselves a better person by learning from failures. For example, In Mahabharata – an ancient Indian epic– the love of Arjun for Lord Krishna was what led him to choose him in the war instead of his mighty army.
The most beautiful kind of love is the bond of friendship. The kind of friendship which is eternal and inseparable helps the individual to grow. The love which teaches you many life lessons and constantly motivates you to keep growing in life and to never give up. It gives you a shoulder to cry on when you're feeling low and a friend to rely on when you're going through difficult parts of life.
One such example is the bond of friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Though Sudama was from a low-income family and Lord Krishna was from a royal background, their status didn't hinder the true bond of friendship between them. Even after getting separated, Lord Krishna was always there in Sudama's heart and soul. Even today when anyone talks about immortal friendship, the bond between these two is always remembered.
The most important thing is self-love. Without embracing our own beauty inside and out, how can we help others not to give up and be themselves by giving their best? All persons are different in one or the other way and no one, absolutely NO ONE is perfect. We all have our weak and strong points and our own unique characteristics and traits which we should be proud of. Comparing ourselves with others will only generate a sense of insecurity in our mind which will be harmful in one way or another. We should simply accept ourselves with our flaws and ignore everyone who tries to persuade us otherwise. Just remember that you don't have to be pretty to be loved, the only thing you have to do is be yourself.
In Today's modern world, sentences like "I love you," "I'll never give up on you" and "I'll always support you" are thrown out so easily just like household trash. But are these words enough? Saying someone you love them but treating them like absolute garbage won't be considered as love. People often fail to understand that actions matter more than your words but that doesn't mean you can disrespect someone by saying harsh things.