Love appears as relationship but begins in deep solitude. Love expresses as relating but its source is not in relating, its source is in meditating. When you are absolutely happy in your aloneness, when the other is not a need, it is then that you are capable of love. If the other is your need, you can only exploit, manipulate, dominate but cannot love.

Because you depend on the other, possessiveness arises – out of fear. “Who knows? The other is with me today; tomorrow he may not be with me. Who knows about the next moment?” Your woman may have left you, your children may grow up and be gone, your husband might desert you. Who knows what the next moment may bring? Out of that fear of the future, you become very possessive. You create bondage around the person you think you love.

But love cannot create a prison. If love creates a prison, then what is left for hatred to do? Love brings freedom – love gives freedom. It is non-possessiveness. But that is possible only if you have known a totally different quality of love, one not of need but of sharing.

Love is sharing of overflowing joy. You are too full of joy, you cannot contain it, you have to share it. Then there is poetry and then there is something tremendously beautiful which is not of this world, something that comes from the beyond.

Often I say, learn the art of love. What I really mean is: learn the art of removing all that hinders love. It is a negative process. It is like digging a well – you go on removing layers of earth, stones, rocks and then suddenly there is water. The water that was always there as an undercurrent. When you remove all barriers, the water is available. So with love. Love is the undercurrent of your being. It is flowing, but there are many rocks, much earth to be removed. That’s what I mean when I say: learn the art of love. It is really not learning love but un-learning the ways of un-love.

Infatuation is the name

In the same vein, love at first sight is an excuse often trotted by people who either don’t know, or don’t want to admit that the pull of a sexual attraction can be that intense. This may well sum up the beliefs of most modern lovers. “I used to believe that love at first sight isn’t such a sham as it is made out to be. His name was Jack and the first time I saw him, I was completely charmed. His good looks had an almost instantaneous magical effect on me. He was my neighbour’s cousin and I used to eagerly await birthdays and anniversary functions in the neighbourhood in the hope of seeing him. In fact, on such occasions, I made sure I wore a short skirt or something sexy. I would make special efforts to speak in my accented english in front of him until one day I met another guy whom I knew for six months and got involved with him. Jack was out of my mind and my life. It’s then I realised that love had a lot more to it than just physical attraction.

For many, love at first sight is just another way of saying infatuation. “I don’t think there is any such thing as love at first sight. It’s infatuation colour-coated as love. It’s purely physical in nature. Love should not be dishonoured by comparing it with something as amorous desire,” adds MNC executive Jess Jones.

There are others who also believe that it’s an immature emotion felt by young teenagers. A guy may have the best looks in the world but may turn out to be the biggest cheater too. Eventually one realises the value of compatibility, steadiness, understanding and commitment in sustaining a relationship. You can’t predict that a guy will share these with you at the first sight.

’tis true love

For every person who doesn’t believe in this, there are others who will defend love at first sight with a dogged determination. They argue that physical attraction is the first step to any relationship. It could be the person’s face, gait, hair or even butt that first attracts you to him/her. This is something called intution. “When I saw my girlfriend for the first time in school, I became completely lost in her eyes. She was new in the school and had an innocent look about her. I could feel my heart flutter with joy every time I saw her. There was an instant emotional connection. Although I couln’t gather the strength to confess my feelings to her till much later, my love withstood the vagaries of time. As a friend and a classmate, I was well aware of her ongoing affairs but somewhere I still had the embers of hope burning bright. It was three years of passing out school, that I confessed my feelings to her, that too with the help of her best friend. She was hesitant initially but today we are a happy couple. It was truly love at first sight for me”, says graphic designer Arun Vohra.

There can be love at first sight but the chances of success are as high or poor as the people involved in it. My brother met my sister-in-law and within three months they were married. I too married my husband in a similar fashion,” adds model Jessica Simons.

You may call it the stroke of luck or destiny, the truth is there are many relationships that grew out of the so-called Cupid that struck at first sight as many as there are others that haven’t worked out.

What’s the difference between lust and true love?

- Lust actually occurs when you first meet someone and feel a special connection. It is based on sexual chemistry and is accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms and, for an unfortunate few drooling. It is more like an infatuation than enduring love. It could stem from both physical and a mental attraction.

- The main difference between lust and love is that lust often happens when there is little chance of forming a relationship. Lust is safe way to explore your feelings for someone who you may think is unattainable. This can closely resemble love, and if your feelings don’t fizzle after you’ve snagged the object of them, then they can lead to love.

It is an expression of affection in romantic relationships that come from within the two conjugal lovers. Love can be expressed in thousands of ways but nobody can say which one is the most satisfactory for them.

You must have seen pairs of lovers sitting in a cozy pasture at your nearby park and making love for hours together leaving all the prosaic things behind. Sometimes, they are seen to play with each other’s private parts or are seen in a kissing posture. This is nothing new to this world of romantic love; the tradition has been going on since the origin of human race. But, can any couple truly claim that they are fully satisfied with their activities in parks under the greenwood tree? No!! They would prefer to have more sexual play to meet their desire. This urge for making love cannot be satisfied if it is not free from condition.

Even after a passionate intercourse, a couple may not be satisfied fully to open their heart for love; on the other hand, a single kiss can bring saturated love in your life. It is the psychology of lovers that determine the state of satisfaction…true love is boundless, free from all ethics of life; it can neither be restricted through any chain of conditions nor can be replaced by any earthly substance.

A married life is intended to bring happiness through love, emotions and feelings for each other. If there lays no emotion, sense of satisfaction and earnest eagerness to make love – nothing can bring peace, harmony and certainty in married life. It is quite obvious that after getting married, every couple would like to explore more fun through sex; but the common experience is altogether different. It is often found that instead of enjoyment, they are leading a hectic life full of conditions that revolves around ‘give and take policy’. Love is not love when conditions restrict normalcy of life. Take the incident for granted – a young boy to satisfy his urge for making love goes to a prostitute and does what is expected… keeping aside true love from her and as soon as the game is over he would have to stretch his hand for paying a lump some amount.

Relationship between the boy and the prostitute is too fragile to stay more than one or two hours. In this case, sex can be bought in exchange of money but cannot love. Marriage, though an institution, seems like a relationship between a truant boy and a prostitute, if it is not bounded by unconditional love. Faith, complacency and satisfaction are key words that can bring peace and harmony in any married couple, not mere sex. On the other hand sex is as important as the heart beats of life. Without sex life seems to be barren tract of land. This is why unconditional love is the primal force behind any strong relationships, especially for marriage.

The society is getting complicated every day and the relationships between human beings are no exception. Extra-marital affair is very common nowadays; but that relationship should also be cemented with unconditional love, otherwise the fun that you are looking for would not come to you. There is always a set of theory that rover around human mind in order to crave for any object that is beyond their reach. Extra marital affair is increasing like anything else. Unlike any other person, you would probably think of enjoying the body of other’s wife without letting know her husband.

This relationship would stay as long you crave and it stands on a definite cause. Suppose, both of you want to keep this relationship only because of having sex or to play with the private organs of each other; in such cases, the love that you possess for that lady or vice versa is controlled by conditions i.e. sex and nothing else. If there were true love in between two souls of you, both of you would feel for each other. Otherwise, it would again become just like the relationship of a young boy and prostitute. ‘Give and take policy’ can be applicable to deal with customers, but would never fruitful for a matured love affair. Love is devoid of any expectation; it does not demand anything from life. Only proper mentality and mindset is required.

The term ‘unconditional love’ should also be there in between two gays or lesbians. Preferences may alter depending on people; but unconditional love is static in every true relationship. It is the basis of any true association; it asks for trust, faith and friendship of two different souls. Unconditional love is ideal love, which brings peace, harmony, satisfaction and all the positive emotional feelings in life. It is difficult to follow the true paths of unconditional love in the mire of mundane life, but the fruits of unconditional love bring forth true sense to live on the breast of this mother earth.

One who can see the fine difference between these two statements is the only true Lover of God. By nature, every one is after love, but only true saints and true servants of God have really experienced the awareness of Divine Love. There are two kinds of love: spiritual and sensual. The worldly, as well as those who seek God, are all within the field of physical or sensual pleasures until they realize God.

Anytime an action or emotion partially or wholly involves anything that is in the realm of the ever changing Prakriti, such as bodies, organs, senses, pranas, the mind, intellect or ego, it is considered a physical or sensual pleasure. Such pleasures must keep changing and come to an end, which results in misery. In the devotional paths, a devotee ultimately becomes Love where duality exists no more. Radha is Krishna or Krishna is Radha, but these two identities cannot exist simultaneously. Such is the ultimate nature of Love. The aspirant who prefers to use the path of discrimination ultimately experiences self-realization where Love alone remains.

When we speak of Love, we are talking about the true ultimate Love that depends on no objects, persons, circumstances, time, place, events or reasons because all those must constantly change and come to an end. Such a finite love is no good for a person seeking Eternal Love, without which one will never find eternal peace. We, being sparks of that Love, cannot be pleased with anything less than that Supreme Love.

Love never bargains, trades or expects. Love never complains, never demands, and never hopes. Love never accepts anything less than Love, and therefore, never lowers itself to physical, mental or intellectual pleasures. Love cannot be measured, imagined, argued about or logically arrived at. Only full faith and complete surrender to the will of Love enables us to totally dissolve our ego and merge into this ocean of love.

As Brihadaranyakam Upanishad says, “Verily, it is not for the sake of the body of a wife that a wife is dear, but for the sake of the Love or Self (Atman) in her that the wife is dear.” This statement also applies to husband, sons, wealth, name and fame, gods, creatures and all creation. To experience true Love is the goal of all of the Yogas presented in the Gita. A beautiful experience awaits all of us only if we will listen, practice, meditate and absolve ourselves as directed by Mother Gita.

1. “Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.” ~ Leo Buscaglia

2. “Love builds bridges where there are none.” ~ R. H. Delaney

3. “Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.” ~ Comte DeBussy-Rabutin

4. “Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your heart or burn down your house, you can never tell.” ~ Joan Crawford

5. “When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.” ~ Elizabeth Bowen

6. “Love is too strong a word to say it too early, but it has too beautiful a meaning to say it too late.” ~ Kurt Cornish

7. “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” ~ Pearl Bailey

8. “Love is the only gold.” ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

9. “LOVE: The irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” ~ Mark Twain

10. “Marrying for love may be a bit risky, but it is so honest that God can’t help but smile on it.” ~ Josh Billings

11. “I don’t want to live– I want to love first, And live incidentally.” ~ Zelda Fitzgerald,

12. “Love is like an hourglass with the heart filling up as the brain empties.” ~ Jules Renard

13. “Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle.” ~ Crystal Middlemas

14. “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” ~ Franklin P. Jones

15. “Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise.” ~ Samuel Johnson

16. “It is with true love as it is with ghosts; everyone talks about it, but few have seen it.” ~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld

17. “If only one could tell true love from false love as one can tell mushrooms from toadstools.” ~ Katherine Mansfield

18. “Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.” ~ H. L. Mencken

19. “Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in love” ~Albert Einstein

20. “Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is.” ~ Diane Ackerman

Who says cute love quotes have to be cheesy? These twenty love quotes prove otherwise. The next time you find an anti-romantic in need of romantic inspiration, share these cute love quotes with them and prove that love is worth pursuing!

It was 6.pm in the evening. Almost every worker was getting set to leave the office after a hectic day. Noise of chatting workers was heard throughout the company’s complex. Everyone was happy that the working day had come and gone. As the evening was gradually giving way for eerie darkness, most workers had left, and reduced was the silence.

At the extreme of the office of Accounts was a very beautiful, slim, elegantly dressed lady with long dark hairs neatly rolled as a bond on the gap of her head. She had just finished with her work and was leaving for home too. She strode to the outside car park where her brand new and latest model of Toyota Camry was parked. As she inserted the key into the door key lock, an attractive and gorgeously dressed young man walked to her.

‘Hi pretty’ the gentleman greeted with a smooth smile.

‘Hi’ Nancy reciprocated reluctantly trying to remember if she has ever met the young man before.

‘I know you are trying to remember if you have ever met me before’, Am I right?’ the gentleman teased.

‘May be you are right, but please who are you and why did you decide to talk to me?’ Nancy enquired gently. Nancy who although looked a bit embarrassed by the stranger, however, could not look down on his charming face and romantic approach. What is this guy up to? She thought.

The more the stranger smiled at her the more she felt like something within her was trying to draw her to him. She tried as much as to ignore his smooth smile, but the stranger kept smiling as if he could read what was in her mind and knew how she felt.

‘I’m Kevin’ he introduced himself. Nancy felt like she should not tell him her name for sake of fear, but she couldn’t just resist any thing about him.

‘Hum… I’m Nancy’ she said shyly.

‘It’s my pleasure meeting you, Nancy’

‘It’s my pleasure too’

‘I understand how you feel. Perhaps I got you at a wrong time’ Kevin apologized.

‘Oh no! I’m okay’ she countered.

‘By the way how did you notice me and came to this place? She interrogated gently.

‘Love and destiny’ he answered smiling.

‘What do you mean? Nancy enquired.

‘I’ve been a secret admirer for over four days’. He admitted.

‘Don’t tell me you are teasing me’ Nancy said.

‘Nancy I’m not teasing you. I’m serious and besides you are beautiful and I love you’ Kevin flattered.

‘Thank you for the compliments, but I think you are taking the discussion too far. We have just met and we have not known each other well and you are talking of a relationship already?’ Nancy spoke diplomatically.

I’d just come out of a relationship having shattered emotions and my life torn into pieces, but I just can’t resist Kevin. He’s handsome, oratical, charming and besides there is something about him that sends fire within my being she thought. Nancy felt like flinging herself into his arms and at the same time thought of not being seen as cheap.

However, she was on fire.

‘Nancy, I don’t truly need that long protocol. I know what I want. There is something special about you that I like. And I strongly believe you are the woman of my life’ Kevin said seriously.

‘I hope you are not flattering me’

‘No, Nancy, I ‘m in love with you. Beautiful and very intelligent girls like you deserve love and care, and not games. Please let me show you love and how caring I’m’ Kevin entreated. Nancy’s heart began to beat faster. She felt like she had just won a jackpot worth millions of dollars.

‘Well in as much as I would want us to have a relationship, nevertheless, I need some time to think over it’

‘No problem. You can give yourself time as much as you want to think’ Kevin replied. ‘Okay! Please I got to go home now. Where do you live so that I could give you a ride’ she pleaded with him.

‘Thanks Nancy, I’ve come with my car. That’s it parked over the other side of the road’ He explained. Kevin gave Nancy his card and received hers too. Nancy got into her car bade him farewell and drove home.

Kevin departed for his own car too. Driving home, Nancy was betwixt fear and joy ‘Am I doing the right thing? I’ve just come out of a relationship and here am I dying already for a man I know nothing about. But I’m beginning to like … to love him. He’s just irresistible. I know Damien cheated on me after we had been in love for two years. Ah! Some men could be heartless. Oh my God, I just don’t know how to turn Kevin down. May be I should give him a chance. Who knows what the future holds for anybody. He might turn being the prince charming I’ve always dreamt of, she told herself. As soon as Nancy got home she called Kevin to let him know that she has consented and wouldn’t mind to develop a relationship with him. Kevin invited her to dine with him at one luxurious restaurant the following evening. Nancy honored his invitation and they enjoyed themselves.

‘Nancy, how did you see this place? Do you like it?’ Kevin asked.

‘Yeah, it’s great here!’ She replied.

‘Nancy, I’m glad you came and most importantly you are giving me a chance to show you my love.’ He appreciated.

‘Please don’t tell me that you don’t have any girl in your life,’

She enquired.

‘I had one a year ago. I loved her and I was very committed to her in a relationship that lasted over a year. We had plans to marry and we were already working on it when she suddenly left me for a guy she said was her first love in college years ago. That’s how our relationship was broken’ Kevin narrated.

‘How did you carry on with your life? Didn’t you have another girl in your life since then? Nancy enquired curiously.

‘No, I felt cheated and I promised myself never to get involved into any serious relationship until I met you yesterday’ Kevin explained.

‘Since you’ve met me now what makes you think you will not treat me casually.’ She queried.

‘I have just learnt that love has two facets. We have the good side and the crazy side. Nancy, please believe me, I’m in for a genuine love. I want to marry you’ Kevin implored.

Even though Nancy was secretly pleased with the idea of marriage, however, she had some reservations because she thought Kevin was too fast about everything and that she needed more time to study him and know if they were compatible.

‘Kevin, don’t you think you are too fast about this? However, I have just come out of a relationship and I’m afraid to develop one, not even soon’ Nancy explained in a tone that indicated she was worried.

‘Please Nancy tell me your story’ Kevin begged.

‘Oh Kevin, it is such a bad experience I never like to remember. Please could we discuss something else’ she implored.

Kevin grabbed her two hands to comfort and reassure her of his love.

‘Nancy, I truly sympathize with you. However, you must carry on. Life must continue. Please look into my eyes. We both have had similar experiences. We were truly out for love and in love, unfortunately with the wrong persons. Now those fates have brought us together I think we could make it up with each other for good. Nancy, believe me we can make it together. Please let’s give ourselves the chance’ Kevin persuaded.

Kevin’s discourse reassured Nancy and lit up her emotions. She felt like someone who had just resurrected from death.

‘Kevin, I think you are right. Life must continue. Our past experiences have just taught us great lessons. I wouldn’t mind to give you my heart, my love, my life. You are the great miracle that had just happened to me. You’ve brought me out of my confusion and nightmare – you have resurrected my dead emotions and romantic prowess. I had vowed never to fall again in love with any man. But you came and spoke to my wounded heart and bruised life. Yes, I believe you Kevin; yes I believe we can make it together’ Nancy declared sobbing.

Kevin noticed that Nancy was sobbing and that her eyes were gradually filled with tears. He stood and held her tight to himself.

‘Nancy, I love you and I promise you’ll never regret about this day.’ Kevin comforted and promised.

‘I love you Kevin’ Nancy uttered. Kevin and Nancy left the restaurant for home. One the way Kevin informed Nancy about his company’s board meeting trip to UK scheduled for the following day.

‘Honey, I’ll travel tomorrow to U.K for a board meeting and will be back in five days. Please I’m sorry that I did not inform you all this while’ he informed and apologized.

‘Okay, no problem, I’ll wait for you. It’s just that I’m going to miss you so much’ she said calmly.

‘Yeah, I know. I’m going to miss you too. But we’ll make it up as soon as I’m back’ Kevin comforted her.

Kevin traveled to UK for the board meeting. Upon arrival at his hotel he gave Nancy a call and she felt no much loneliness. Two days after Kevin had traveled, Nancy began to experience fever and weakness in her body. She went to a hospital for medical check up and was told by the doctor that she was pregnant of a month and two days.

‘My young lady the test conducted shows that you are pregnant of a month and two days. Congratulations’ the doctor said gladly.

‘Please doctor did you say I’m pregnant?’ she asked anxiously.

‘Yes, you heard me right. Are you not happy that you are pregnant and that you will soon become a happy mother?’ the doctor interrogated gently.

‘I’m doctor, but but … Nancy stammered.

Nancy stood up and left for home.

On the way she worried and thought greatly. ‘Oh my God, I’m pregnant for Damien. I must do something fast or else Kevin will know about it. The only solution to this is to abort the child. But I’m afraid; it might complicate my health or endanger my life. But I can’t afford to lose Kevin too for anything. Oh my God, please help me I’m confused’ Nancy worried greatly. Nancy could not abort the child. She worried all day and it made her look like someone sick. It was evident to all. Kevin returned from trip and noticed Nancy’s sudden change of appearance.

‘Honey, you’ve grown too tiny. I hope it is not because of my trip’ Kevin teased.

Nancy didn’t reciprocate. She was too quiet and it raised a greater concern to Kevin. ‘Honey you have been too calm since I came back. Is anything the matter? Please tell me?’ Kevin interrogated gently.

‘No honey, I’m all right? She replied calmly.

‘But you don’t look happy and besides you’ve lost some weight’ Kevin enquired.

“Honey, I’m afraid to lose you. I don’t want to lose you’ Nancy cried resting on his chest. She burst in tears. Her statements raised more concern.

‘Honey, why do you say you don’t want to lose me? You can’t lose me, you. I love you’ He reassured her.

‘Kevin, I don’t want to lose you. Please I don’t want to lose you’ she repeated and cried.

‘Please tell me what the issue is and I promise you will not lose me. I’ll help you’ He promised.

‘Honey, I’m, I’m, I’m pregnant’ Nancy opened up in tears.

‘How do you mean? I haven’t made love to you yet. How come you are pregnant? This is certainly not from me’. He declared sternly.

Nancy was on her kneels and in great tears. ‘Please get up and explain to me this pregnancy.’ He queried.

‘Kevin, two days after you traveled I felt a bit feverish. I went to the hospital and the doctor told me I was pregnant of a month and two days. It dawned on me that I was pregnant for Damien. Since that day till you came back from the trip I have worried myself to death not knowing what to do next. The thought of abortion came to my mind, but I didn’t want to do it. I was afraid’ she narrated.

‘Abortion! Please don’t do it. This child has come to stay. Have you let Damien know about it?’ he interrogated sympathetically.

‘No Kevin. I was confused and dying. I thought of what you and he might say. I was afraid the outcome would be disastrous. Though I may not have done the right thing, however out of confusion, I felt keeping it to myself was the best idea until you came and woke me up out of my insomnia’ Nancy lamented.

‘Alright, to me, getting rid of the child isn’t the best idea. I think we should give him a chance to life’. I wouldn’t mind to father him. I think we should plan our wedding now. That’s the only way you and the child won’t lose me’ Kevin exhorted.

‘No, Kevin, No, this is not right. Please you can’t assume this fatherly responsibility just like that. I think it’s time we parted ways. I can’t stand living with you and bearing in me a child that is not yours. I can’t stand this reproach, this shame’ Nancy regretted.

‘Nancy, I love you whether with the child or not. This is certainly a great mistake; however, there is room for correction and a second chance. By the way, let’s assume there was an accident that caused a disability to your physique would I have stopped to love you? Would we have parted ways? Listen to me; I may not be doing what will seem good to other people’s eyes, however, I love you. Nothing can quench love, not even many waters’. He exhorted.

‘Kevin, thank you for accepting me just as I’m. I’m grateful and I shall never forget this day’ Nancy appreciated.

‘Nancy, I have just learnt something new again. The scope and depth of love is yet fully assessed. Love is very deep and no man can fully decipher its mysteries. Nevertheless, I’ve made up my mind and I’ll marry you. We must go and see your parents for the wedding arrangements’ Kevin declared.

Kevin and Nancy got wedded within a month. The lived happily. Nancy gave birth to the child and had three other children for him.

The End!

1. “Love is a portion of the soul itself, and it is of the same nature as the celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise.” ~ Victor Hugo

2. “One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love.” ~ Sophocles

3. “It’s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.” ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

4. “Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.” ~ Voltaire

5. Love is like quicksilver in the hand. Leave the fingers open and it stays. Clutch it, and it darts away.” ~ Dorothy Parker

6. “To love another person is to see the face of God.” ~ Les Miserables

7. “Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.” ~ Dr. Karl Menninger

8. Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration.” ~ D. H. Lawrence

9. “For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of our tasks; the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

10. “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and a richness to life that nothing else can bring.” ~ Oscar Wilde

11. “Live through feeling and you will live through love. For feeling is the language of the soul, and feeling is truth.” ~ Matt Zotti

12. “Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.” ~ Author Unknown

13. “Love won’t be tampered with, love won’t go away. Push it to one side and it creeps to the other.” ~ Louise Erdrich

14. “Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured – yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more than any material possession ever could.” ~ Barbara De Angelis

It is true that the dictionary does not have an adequate definition of love. After all, it’s not easy to put such passion, fire and depth of emotion into words. These 14 insightful love quotes, however, prove that love can indeed be defined.

1. “Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.” ~ St. Augustine

2. “Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.” ~ Mother Theresa

3. “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” ~ Aristotle

4. “Where there is love there is life.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

5. “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” ~ Charles Dickens

6. “There is no disguise that can long conceal where love exists, or simulate it where it doesn’t.” ~ Francois, Duc de La Rochefoucauld

7. “When the one man loves the one woman and the one woman loves the one man, the very angels leave heaven and come and sit in that house and sing for joy.” ~ Brahma

8. “If you love someone, tell them. For hearts are often broken by words left unspoken.” ~ Stephanie Roogle

9. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee the more I have, for both are infinite.” ~ Shakespeare

10. “Real love is a pilgrimage. It happens when there is no strategy, but it is very rare because most people are strategists.” ~ Anita Brookner

11. You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. ~ Henry Drummond

12. “The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.” ~ Margaret Atwood

13. “A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

14. “Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.” ~ Proverbs

15. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height. My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight. For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.” ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

There you have it — 15 famous love quotes to warm your toes by. But don’t keep them to yourself! The best way to warm yourself with famous love quotes is to share them with someone you love.

Love energy is present when people are loving what they do or are doing it with love. Without love energy, our actions are dead works because they lack the life and meaning that is meant to be present in them. We are all here not just to do what we are required to do in order to sustain life, but we are here to live life and help others to experience life as well. Life requires action to exist. Anything that is not moving is dead. All that is alive expresses itself in motion.

Life is love in action. That is why sitting still and not doing anything eventually leads to decay and disintegration of being. Life is experienced by connecting with others. The more alive a group of living beings is, the more they are connecting and interacting with one another. To connect requires motion to make the connection. Every activity that is presented in this world is for the purpose of making that connection between people. The evolution of life is the evolution of the ways that we can connect.

In the earlier part of the history of life, there were lesser things available for we humans to do in order to interact with one another. As time went by, more ways and means were developed to experience life with each other. Greater and more varied forms of communication, transport and social systems were invented. All these technological and cultural advancements in society is for the purpose of making the whole world more connected and integrated.

But with all these changes, the only thing that truly connects people is the love energy that is present in their actions. When we do something without love energy, there is no connection between us and the person we do it to. In this world of high tech, people need to experience high touch even more than ever before. In any transaction that is being made between two or more humans, there is a need for real interaction instead of just automated communication. We want to experience each other for real.

When we put our heart in what we do and show that we are truly present in our actions, we will give people what they really need which is the increase of life. What comes from the heart goes to the heart. When we enjoy doing something, when we have passion for it, when we are enthusiastic and genuinely desire to benefit others, that is when we are putting love energy in what we do. In essence, all that we are really doing is communicating love.

Anything that is experienced without love energy is empty. That is why people still feel empty when they have obtained a thing or service from another. There was no love energy present in the work done. The person was doing it purely out of job requirement or obligation. There was no real passion in the service, which results in no real enjoyment for the person receiving it. What we want is not material things from others, but the love which they can offer through those things and with those things.

Why do you think receptionists are told to be courteous and have friendly attitude towards callers they are speaking with? Why do you think waiters at restaurants are instructed to smile and show warmth to those that dine in? Why do you think we all know instinctively the need to create a positive experience with whoever we do business with? It is all for the purpose of showing love to those we interact with. Money makes the world go round but only love makes this world a better place.

Dont go through the motions of doing something just for the sake of doing it. There is no life or love in it and you are doing it no differently from a machine. The energy that you put into your actions will determine the kind of effect it has on another. If you do something for others with love, they will respond with love and appreciation. Let there be an exchange of love energy in all that you experience. Express appreciation and acknowledgement to others that come into interaction with you.

You can also change the energy by which others are working with. If you see someone doing something just because it is part of their job and they are clearly not showing passion or joy in what they do, just a smile and a word of appreciation from you will brighten up their day. One moment they were doing it without love energy, but the next moment, they will be doing it with love energy because you have given it to them. You have enlivened them with life which they will share with others that come after you.

Love is the only thing which is real, everything else is illusion. If you can see the truth, you will know that all the activities that humans do are just various forms of expressing the same energy to one another which is love. Do yourself and others a favor by choosing work not for the money but to express your love. Choose also to receive only from others who put love in what they do. Increase life for others as well as for yourself. The more love energy you receive, the more you will have to give.

Think love and the whole environment gets charged up. Feng shui love can be applied any time of the year, as love does not need any special day or season to happen. The experts from feng shui offer various tips to fetch love and make bonds stronger. Some of the tips that can be used for inviting love through feng shui love bring positive results. According to the Chinese legends and myths, throwing oranges into the lake can get a good husband. In fact, on every 15th day of Chinese New Year, single ladies obtain three mandarins and on each one they write the most important characteristics of a man they wish to marry and then throw them into the lake.

The things that can make feng shui love work can be lighting up the Southwest direction of bedrooms with red lights, this will enhance the chances of people to find love soon. Interestingly, feng shui does not permit the use of dark red roses with thorns as they symbolize bleeding and have negative connotations on love, companionship and happiness. Hence, colors like pink, yellow, peach or cream roses without thorns are recommended for a strong relationship. Moreover, the experts say that if the bedrooms have mirrors then it will further destroy the chances of love as mirror reflects another person between two people. This often means an extra marital affair but sometimes it can be anyone, such as a discouraging relative, a green-eyed friend. Therefore, it is advisable to remove or cover mirrors in bedrooms.

The practitioners also believe that the best way to attract love is to adjust environment accordingly. In fact, in feng shui love, dingy surroundings, piles of clutter, and self-absorbed artwork are strict no no; and can actually drive Cupid from the door. Thus, to have a strong and passionate love life, one can follow simple things like replacing of lonely images with pictures of happy couples, creating cozy seating arrangements throughout the house especially bedroom, by moving out the television from the bedroom. In fact, feng shui love experts say that the chances of good and healthy marriage become stronger if these things are present in the bedroom. Moreover, clearing out of dresser drawers along with leaving empty hangers in the closets, and keeping an extra toothbrush in the bathroom will improve the love life. However, feng shui love is actually practiced for bedrooms only, as the bedrooms represent the romantic life. Therefore, the last images that any one would like to see would be of pictures that reflect clutter, such images will actually wade off the passion in one’s married and love life hence, celebrate love with care.