"Lo Que Es Amar . . ." What It Is To Love

'Antología' by Shakira just played and that was the last lyric of her song. No, no, no, I'm not going to go into the psychological aspects of the song, but merely, the need for people to want to know what love is. Love is a beautiful thing that is contradictory in and of itself.

For where else does one love and hate at the same time? Love someone so much that you hate to let them go. Or where tears and dread are a part of love? Love is amazing, when you've been touched by love. However, there are types of love and some are interchangeable but nevertheless there are types.

Love even goes so far as to let the one you love, live their life without you. Yes, this love is one of the greatest. This is when one realizes that the love between the two partners has changed. It's time to allow each other the opportunity to find love once more. Although, this may sound psychotic, it is a necessity if one wishes to live with peace and be able to truly love in the future.

Now, there are loves which transcend space and time. No words or the feeling of skin need be present, the love is felt deep within, warming the body, feeding any hunger. This type of love is what is called 'true love.' Although, some may disagree with me, it is my interpretation of true love.

Oh, look at me, talking about the psychological aspects of love. Well, I guess I can't help it. I'm a student of love.

Despite the heartache love causes there are many people that seek love again. The yearning for that feeling is stronger than the pain love caused. Then why is it that once we do find this love once more, the pain resurfaces? Much to our dismay, the pain could kill the new relationship even before it got a chance to crawl.

The trick I found is to embrace this pain. Don't try to suppress it. This pain lives for a reason, as does everything else in our lives. The purpose, I feel, is to allow us to learn, to grow into the person we are suppose to be.

Okay, we are venturing off into another tangent, 'who are we suppose to be?' All in due time my weary travelers. In due time.

Pain, for some, is what they seek. Masochists, if you may, feed upon this pain. But are we not all masochists in one way or another? For if not, then why do we seek love after it has caused so much pain? Some argue, it is because we seek something more than the pain.

Love is a cycle. And depending on which part we encounter this cycle, we won't know where we are at on this cycle. For some, they are lucky enough to encounter this cycle at the beginning (if it's a cycle, then where is the beginning?). This beginning is when we meet someone. There is a spark deep inside. It isn't a spark of lust, it's a spark of desire. Desire to know more of this person, to know their definition of love, perhaps it's something even more subtle. Whatever the reason, the beginning plays an important part of one's own love cycle. The very lucky find their 'true love.' Then there are the others, like myself, who enter the cycle half way through. This entrance is the gateway to how our relationships will become. Another cycle begins tangently to the cycle of love. This new cycle is our own.

I believe I will end here for the time being. It is late and I have work in the morning. But I leave you with one thought to ponder: 'Where did I begin on this cycle or have I even began?'

Okay, okay, it's two questions in one sentence, but nevertheless, 'Where have you begun or have you even begun?'