understanding love

when we are children, we experience love as being fed - being held - being reassured of our worth - being encouraged to grow - being free to express gratitude in our existence through an exuberant joy.

when we become adolescents, we imagine the meaning of true love to be passion - possession - proximity - an indulgence of the senses, emotion, and ego.

when we become mature, we think of love as a source of comfort, an expression of fidelity, and a validation of our place in society.

if we live long enough to grow wise, we understand that love is none of these things; rather, love, true love, in its purest essence, is to burn until we are consumed, leaving less than ashes, barely even a breath, to show that we ever were.