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Love Responsibly & Respectfully
This Valentine’s Day introspect on the meaning of love
As Valentine’s Day approaches and the marketing world begins to unleash all the red hearts and roses, I can’t help but cringe over the clichés that still dominate the day.
Even in my teenage years, I was never one for bouquets, chocolates, or soft toys that were gifted by couples to each other. I didn’t understand the point of it all.
I also have never understood those three words — “I love you.”
Because, if love could be encapsulated in such a limited way, we’re doing it a disservice and diminishing its immense possibilities and responsibilities.
Yes, the word is “responsibilities.”
A big part of love is how responsible we feel toward it or toward the person we’re with — be it a parent, child, sibling, friend, spouse, or partner.
Imagine if we replace the words “I love you” with “I feel responsible for you…”
Wouldn’t our approach toward the other instantly change? And once we understand those words, what would we do differently in the relationship?
