What is Love?

Let us try to define this mysterious thing called love. Most people who attempt to define love reveal an interpersonal context in their preconceptions about life and love. They believe that it takes two to love, but does it? Can’t one be loving when alone? It is generally believed that love must have an object, but we say, not necessarily. The object of love is love. The important thing is to be loving. What does it mean to be loving? Love is a desire to express goodness, unconditionally.

-Existential Metapsychiatry Session 1: Basic Concepts

I’m reminded of all the songs, stories and greeting cards that express the ideas of getting love, giving love, making love – as if love is an object that can be produced on demand. With the above understanding the simple shift from love as a thing, to love as an offering releases all striving for something to happen to us, for us or with us. Being loving is possible for anyone at anytime in any situation. It’s free. Re-seeing love as a “desire to express goodness, unconditionally,” is freeing.