Just throwing out love
“I love you”, “I love this”, “I’m loving it” – all these uses of the word “love” but is the true meaning of the word actually implied?
What is the definition of love? That’s a good question. Even the answer to that isn’t simple. At last count there were nine meanings of the word, ranging from “a deep fondness” to “sexual passion.”
Perhaps it depends on the context in which the word or phrase is used.
I’m a reality TV junkie, I’ll admit it. While others would say they “love reality shows” I just enjoy watching them. Do I have an affection for them? Not in the way dictionary definitions spell it out.
But the reason this caught my attention was that on these shows the cast/players all seem to “love one another” after knowing each other for a brief period of time. Maybe this is just me, and I can be a pretty affectionate person, I’m very careful about who I love. And in doing that, I’m selective as to who I tell that to and make my feelings known.
Sure you can love your kids or your dog or your friends, but a total stranger? Is it maybe necessary to explain the meaning behind using the word? “I love you… and it’s according to definition number 4 in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.”
I remember a time a few years ago when after a heartfelt conversation with a friend that I tenderly said, “And you know I love you,” to which I received an email a couple hours later with the comment, “Um, I think we’ve got to discuss something later.”
It certainly wasn’t embarrassment on my part but it was the first time I’d ever had to explain what I meant by telling a friend he or she is loved. And when it comes to friends, there are certain limits (or levels of love, I guess you could call them) that in your mind you never even consider. By that I mean the “sexual passion” definition.
Maybe I’m contradicting myself since I wrote a column several weeks ago entitled “I love loving life” but life is something that you ought to love. A stranger or cast mate on a TV show isn’t someone you love within minutes of knowing them.
What’s my point here, folks? Be careful how you use the word to avoid somebody getting the wrong idea about how you really feel about them.
