Talk about a word that just rolls off your tongue…

It’s not folly or happenstance that the antonym and antithesis to my last post possesses such muscular potential.  I’d venture to opine that, when focused rather than randomly scattered, its power far exceeds its counterpart.  It pops up in heartwarming reference throughout recorded history and in one or another of its multilingual usages is the foundation of spiritual enlightenment, human passion and compassion, lifelong delight, the inexplicable connection of beings, one to the other and the ridiculous descriptor for zero points in tennis.  LOVE is the holdout word in burgeoning relationships, the line-crossing declaration that removes frivolousness or dalliance from the conversation.  It is the symbol of benevolent deity, unconditional kindness and has been professed on bended knee, accompanied by both goofy and lavish gifts.  It is the go-to theme of literature, poetry and songwriting, imagining it from every majestic, uplifting, devastating, beautiful, pornographic, exhilarating, embarrassing, serio-comic connection between man, woman, child, animal, alien, blankie and blow-up doll.  It defies all logic while apparently making the world go ‘round.  The chemicals released within us, that we associate with the manifestation of LOVE, are unsurprisingly sensual, triggered randomly and equally by sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

So, how did we get here?  How have people all over the world missed the LOVE train?  Why do the actions of humanity’s worst actors have such overt consequence while purveyors of our most-sought commonality end up maligned and martyred?  If it’s the answer, perhaps we’ve been asking the wrong question.  I’m pretty sure it’s not a bowl of cherries, but if the Beatles are to be believed, it’s all we need and, in the end…