75488656No, I do not refer to myself in this topic.

Was thinking about this over-used phrase while walking back from work 2 nights ago. What does it mean to be in love? Why do we have to insert the work “in” when we’re talking about that “special someone”?

Personally, the vision I get of the phrase “in love” is a couple who are together encapsulated in a bubble of love. But does such a situation or form of love actually exist? I don’t think so (maybe it is the social term of eros?). You can only love the person. Love in itself branches out into various forms and levels of love.

Eros: sexual yearning, love, or desire.

Philia: a positive feeling of liking.

Agape: selfless love of one person for another without sexual implications (especially love that is spiritual in nature).

So is it necessary to say you’re in love with this certain person? Can’t you just say you love this special someone? Of course in English (Love) no one would be able to tell if you meant to refer to eros, philia or agape and that is a disadvantage of such a limited language.

Another thing. You can’t fall in love. Falling in love = infatuation which ultimately doesn’t last. Infatuation: a foolish, unreasoning, or extravagant passion or attraction which is short-lived. Falling depicts a sense of helplessness. Helplessness that one could not control their love for another. Love grows gradually. And with anything else that grows, it must be fed and feeding can never be accidental. So how can you fall in love? Then of course as Stephen rightly pointed out recently: if you fall in love then what happens when you stop loving? Did you fall out of love? “falling out” in itself is illogical. How on earth can you fall out of something? You fall into a pit? How do you fall out?

So many of us just say things without thinking through what they really mean.

amyruth.xxoo