"The Essence of Love" (Requested by the Public)

By Dennis Siluk Ed.D.

This article is nothing fancy or even well thought out, it is more spontaneous (after seeing on the internet, a request by the public for me to write something, anything about 'The Essence of Love'), I wish to say what I got to say, and bring it to the bare bone facts, and then be on my way. The very core, fundamental nature, spirit, is to give, and not to expect-this is the essence of love. There are several kinds of love, but love in all several divisions is basically the same (or at least it is to me), it demands everything, and is willing to receive nothing. Some people call this Unconditional Love. Meaning, if you ask for something back in return, then it is an exchange, not real love. It is easy to love a lovable person, try loving an unlovable one that will test your tulips. Like Mark Twain once said "A virtue is not a virtue until tested under fire." Likewise, your love that you say you have for this or that person, or thing, what parts are facts and what parts are pretenses? Who's to say until tested under fire? In most cases, most of us would fall short of know or have or having experience real love.

Sex is not love that is pleasure, in most cases, immediate gratification. Love comes afterwards, during those long nights and years of serving your wife, and as your wife becomes your helper. That is love. It is not self-serving, that comes under self-interest (and perhaps a little greed).

Love benumbs the senses, you are willing to die for something now, be it a child, country, or wife, perhaps something less or more. But I doubt you have really loved if you have never been willing to give up all you have. And the person that opposes that is the guard over his treasures: what you love the most is what you guard the hardest. What you value the most is what you love the most; and what you talk about the most, spend the most time at or with, is what you love the most-it only makes sense. You can't give fifty percent to this and that; you only have one-hundred percent of yourself to give. Love demands 100% percent, real love, not pretence.

So you ask, "What is the essence of love?" It is what it has always been, "To give!" God gave you life, this is his love to mankind. He doesn't even ask for a thank you, he just gives. Christ died on the cross for mankind and his sins-so the gates of heaven would open up wider, and he said, in essence: to give one's life to another, is the greatest love gift, one can give another. It is all, and everything one will ever have.

I'm not going to look up any definitions of love, it is plain and simple, either you do or you don't. And those who cannot will never have known that there was something to live for.