Love symbolises compassion and empathy

That love is the most powerful thing in the world is undisputed. Love symbolises compassion, sympathy, empathy, help and all other good things. The other day, while travelling, I heard some people talking about the magic of love and how it is the only ‘medicine’ for all kinds of ills on this planet. The more you give, the more you get in terms of satisfaction, contentment and happiness.

The significance of the word ‘love’ can be understood from its antonym, ‘hatred’. While hatred consumes us like cancer, love makes us bloom into a sensible, compassionate, forgiving and perfect human being.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, had said: “Unless the personality (within us) has love, it sickens and dies. The more love and goodwill you emanate and exude, the more comes back to you.”

Long ago, I got to understand the importance of love in a very ‘touching’ way. I was told that dogs understand our feelings when they are close to us. If you have love for them, they will love you too. And, if you have hatred and desire to harm them, they will start barking and attacking you! Poet Robert Browning says love is all that matters because, “without it, our earth will be just a tomb.” That means it is love that makes life for us meaningful, purposeful and enjoyable. Therefore, our first and foremost duty is to walk the path of love because that is the only truthful walk. That is why Canadian poet Wayne Chirisa says: “To model the path of love is to model the representation of God ...”