It has long been proposed by people throughout the world and through time that love is the single quality for which humanity stands most in need. There are many who agree that greater love in the world could potentially solve a variety of problems ranging from hunger and poverty, to crime and war; but with so much belief in the power of love, does anybody really know what love is?

The Concept of Love
Love has been described in many ways and with numerous definitions. Love has been described as “the cure for all evil;” “all we need;” and as the element that “makes the world go round.” Love has been used in many contexts such as between friends, lovers, families and even strangers. There are a variety of ways in which love is conceptualized and understood by people everywhere, but a commonly accepted definition of what love really is continues to be elusive to mankind.

The Meaning of Love
Before love can begin to attain its true potential, it is important to establish an understanding of what love means to people. Resorting to a dictionary to find the meaning of love will likely reveal twenty or more definitions of what love is considered to be by scholars. It is unlikely that a universally accepted, single definition will ever be found to characterize what love is, because its uniqueness to the individual is one of its most integral and fascinating attributes. Love means different things to different people, but the most commonly held belief about love is that it is highly desired, cherished, and in fact needed by everyone.

Love in My Eyes
While I will not attempt to define what love should be for others, I will describe my personal opinion of the conditions that allow love to exist and a definition of what I believe comprises love in its relationship to mankind. It has been my experience that love will only exist when you value another’s happiness as much as your own. Love requires an equal or greater degree of respect for others as is held for oneself.

Love is Defined by Character
I believe the capacity one possesses for love is limited only by the character that one aspires to and achieves in life. Character is a cumulative quality that is molded, shaped, and refined through the course of a lifetime. This is one of the most redeeming aspects about developing love and character, as weaknesses and mistakes of the past can be transformed into strengths for the future. The ability to improve one’s character is an opportunity to share greater love with others. There is no simple definition of love except to say that it is a reflection of all that is contained in one’s character.

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