A human devoid of love can’t be called a human being. And should he live sans loving, his existence is merely robotic. Therefore, to feel truly alive and to blossom everyday, a human being needs to be loved. He also needs to lean on a fellow human to thrive. It goes without saying that every day in life is a learning experience. The more we survive, the more we learn.
One of the greatest things that life teaches us is to learn to love. And when we love genuinely and without any pretenses, do we actually bloom like the proverbial flower in life. How then do we learn to love and what is its contribution to our existence?
The Social Animal
Every human being is a social animal. We cannot exist or thrive alone. At some point of time or the other we have to seek the company of family members, friends and associates, no matter what. Even though we may at times think that we can do without the company of others, this never works in the long run. As an inextricable part of society, therefore, man has to learn to reach out to his fellow human beings. No doubts about that.
You Bloom when You Love
Research has shown time and again that when a person is actually in love or unselfishly loves others, there is an extra secretion of the feel-good hormones in his body that elevates him to a higher plane altogether. There is a feeling of goodwill, cheer, bonhomie and elation always that not only makes him happy but increases his productivity as well. Yes, that’s exactly how love helps you to blossom.
When psychologists make clinical assessments of hardened criminals, they often find that in most cases, the person has been severely deprived of love, particularly in his formative years, resulting in the darker side of his nature taking over.
Love cannot be One-Sided
It’s also a universal truth that love works strictly on a give and take basis. Unreciprocated affection or passion is always painful and burns deeper than anything else. As George Bernard Shaw so aptly put it in his inimitable style:
“When love burns deeply in your heart and yet you are unable to show it, you are actually winking at your lover in the dark.”
Riches in life are meaningless without love. This was truly proved by Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress who inherited $50 million in 1920 at the age of 18. Hutton’s life thereafter, was a wreck marked by numerous divorces and a severe addiction to alcohol and drugs which left her in penury when she died. Her biographers have unanimously agreed that she died of a “broken heart” rather than a physical condition.
This shows only that unshared love is more like a highly precious diamond that’s buried so deep beneath the ground that its beauty goes unshared and unnoticed by all. It reminds you of that exotic flower that never bloomed.
Joy of Sharing
There’s always a special joy in giving to the one you actually love. Even a thought, gift or precious feeling have the same intrinsic value. To give affection is as important as receiving it. Those who can’t truly give shouldn’t expect to receive either. That’s the natural law. Loving is living and the more you give away, the more you flourish and thrive.
Take Warren Buffett’s case for example. As one of the world’s richest men, Buffet has made a will that on his death, all his assets will go to charity for the benefit of mankind. Could there be a greater philanthropist or lover of men?
Conclusion
Remember, love like God is omnipresent. It’s in our hearts, minds, homes, offices, factories and what have you. It’s just for us to find it through our fellow humans. By reaching out, we are like the proverbial cherry blossom that unfailingly blooms in spring, no matter what the weather conditions are. It’s therefore, the determination that it has to bloom despite the circumstances that sets a grand example to us: to love and to reach out to others as and when we want to.
Written By: Biproarshi Guha
*****
Related Articles:
