Introduction
Love is a basic instinct seen in all creations alike. It is passionate, supportive, attentive and understanding in nature. It could be quite misleading if two people, who believe to be in love, would want only sexual pleasure, and are termed as lovers. In fact, it could be infatuation, sick addiction, self- interest or a momentary pleasure. Then what exactly is true love? According to The Bible,
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self seeking; it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
- I Corinthians 13:4 – 8a. (What is True Love and How do you Know When you have Found it?).
The above paragraph suggests the nature of true love. When two people feel alike, seem to know each other for ages talk endlessly and understand each other without words and are never uncomfortable in the other’s absence, they are in true love. The partners are complete in one another, their life is peaceful and while the world is in woe, nothing happens to them. The basis for true love is sacrifice and selflessness. The one and the other are in unison, cemented by trust, faith, hope and perseverance
Main Text
In true love, there is an understanding in which one trusts another more than him or herself and feels ready to satisfy every little need of a partner. This understanding doesn’t require words or expressions. It arises out of mutual understanding of the souls as their love is devoid of selfish interest.
It is always the partner’s interest above one’s own One would do anything to see that the other is happy and may even do things that may go against one’s belief. This is called sacrifice and true love is nothing without it. Jesus Christ, lover of mankind sacrificed his life for the sake of redemption of mankind. He is the ultimate healer who saved many a life in peril and in abject poverty. How could one not mention the way he cured pestilence- stricken multitudes from their plight.
It was not for the quest of power, or to establish one’s supremacy over the others that Christ led his followers. His principle was based on forgiveness and acceptance of people as they were. Christ neither hurt nor punished the wrong doers. Instead, he prayed to God Almighty to save them. This is the finest illustration of the perfect lover. This love cannot be compared to any other form ever. It is to be borne in mind that on earth, human beings, full of foul and wrong, wreck vengeance on the others to establish their rights and satisfy their ego. What a pity!
Love, where there is no jealousy or hatred for the other, is perfect. There is no punishment for the mistakes committed and the partners trust each other. No force can ever destroy the bond that is built on mutual commitment and self acceptance. By mutual commitment, I mean the whole- hearted acceptance of the partner and the readiness to accept the imperfections that he or she may find in the other. It is rather difficult to accept the other’s mistake and very easy to point to it. Grounded in the feeling of superiority or in establishing one’s opinion, nobody gains anything out of their living together except growing frustration.
To be more exact, the opinions of true love is always the same – one opinion, uni-directional. Everything is mutually shared – friends, enemies, interests, problems etc. The partners retain their own identities and at the same time see themselves as part of the other. They are ready to let go of the ‘self’. There is complete surrender of the self to the other.
One is reminded of Meera Bai, the Indian saint of Mewar, whose surrender to her Lord Krishna was complete and she gained immortality. In spite of opposition, blame and cruelty in the hands of her in-laws, her steadfast love for her God never once failed to reveal itself. She was ultimately accepted by God, never to return back to sing kirtans of the Lord’s glory. Such is the power of true love which is based on bhakti (devotion) and ‘Prema’ (high love) Meera was not attracted to her Lord’s physical features. She wanted to attain eternal peace through her devotion. When one loves another for the sake of carnal pleasures, it is the manifestation of ‘Sneha’(low love), based on bodily desires which breed disease, decay and death.
Of relevance is the story of Gautam Buddha whose quest for truth led him to ‘nirvana’ and his love for his fellow- beings to cure them from the pleasures of the earth. The state of his soul was in complete rest as he traveled across the length and breadth of the country spreading values to be inherent in the life of man. His miraculous powers to cure not only physical but also mental ailments and his power to enlighten the lives of aggrieved souls was indeed the revelation of true love. Where there is true love, there can never be pretence. The mind, body and soul are one, never giving room for divided aims and opinions.
It is particularly interesting to note the “Love Economics Definitions of Soul mate”,
Soul mate Ratio = Total Love Benefit / Total Love Cost.
Soul mate is the person who will maximize your soul mate ratio and vice-versa.
No one in this world, including being yourself could make you happier than being
in love with your soul mate. True love is the love you share with your soul mate.
The higher you are in love with your soul mate, the higher the soul mate ratio
becomes. (Definitions of Soulmates, 2006).
An in -depth study of ancient scriptures of all the religions reveals that true love is the basis of the life –force in human beings. Endowed with the faculty of reasoning, the ability to emotionally react, the faculty of discrimination, man finds himself the sole key to unlocking the human heart. Endless conquests for power, lust and avarice have reduced man into a savage feeding on his own fellow beings.
Conclusion
Where there is hatred, man has to be able to sow the seeds of kindness, love and passion. Where there is true love, there is the control of the five sense organs which are the Pandora’s box to ultimate sufferings. True love can be recognized among people where there is the spirit of oneness, single minded- aim and selflessness.
The world has seen incarnations, divine glories and human deeds which spread true love. It is sad that only an insignificant number of people seem to realize the power of true love. If one can readily accept the other, be able to forgive and forget the other’s mistakes and be a part of the other’s life without expecting anything in return, he, has definitely made his maiden step to the foot of the mountain of true love. In this case, and always, true love can be compared to a mountain, high, mighty and strong, standing firm, braving all odds and yet maintaining its strong hold on the ground.
Works cited
True Love. Search Your Love. 2004-2006. Web.
What is True Love and How do you Know When you have Found it? ChristianAnswers.com. 2008. Web.
Definitions of Soulmates. Solve dating. 2006. Web.