I have some enlightening news for all of my fellow single peeps out there, who are dreading Valentine's Day because you have not yet "found love." I have come to the conclusion that if we all tried to live life by “doing” love instead of “feeling” it or trying to “find” it we can reach our own personal Nirvana, or better yet- what a Miss America contestant would call “World Peace” *insert immediate brain priming to Miss Congeniality* Okay okay, but in all seriousness, we hear constantly about trying to “find” true love or being “so ready” to fall in love, the problem is not that we do not hear about love enough, the problem is that we hear about it wrong. Why are we all trying to possess something that is not meant to be possessed? Love is not a noun; love is an action, love is a verb.
It does not matter what religion you associate with, or wish to disassociate from, love is practically a guaranteed requirement. I’ll even go a step farther and say that in every single religion, love is God and hate is anti-god/satan. For equality purposes, let’s use Jesus as a historical figure example. What was his message? Love thy Neighbor and help those who are broken. Now, I will save a religious analyzation for a future article (ehh probably nahhhht) but my point is this- every one worships love, wants to fall in love, wants to possess love, writes about love, watches love, sings about love, dreams about love… as if love is something that has to be caught, looked up to, held on to and admired. All while being blissfully ignorant to the fact that every single human being CAN DO LOVE… because love is not a noun; love is an action, love is a verb.
Ok so maybe I still do not have you convinced and you still believe that love is a butterflies in your stomach, feeling. Think about what your dreams have been ever since you were knee high to a grasshopper…Maybe a doctor? A lawyer? A writer? A singer? Well, what a coincidence. These all are occupations that practice love for a living. Want even better news? You can practice love. Right now. For free. Without a degree.
Wait. I am not saying to not fulfill those original dreams. Please don’t drop out of university or decide to not apply for MIT. What I am saying is that since love is a verb, you do not have to meet any requirements; just do it right now, in the present tense. Stop waiting to love in the future. I do realize that almost every dictionary or google definition lists love as a romantic or sexual feeling, but dig deeper. Even if you do believe love is a feeling, what does that feeling come from first? That’s right, an action.
For example, my own personal “lovey” feeling comes doing more for others. The intense rush I get when I have helped someone in need of love and help, that is what motivates me to keep loving and to keep doing. It is what motivates me to become a social worker. The “lovey” feeling you get is going to be totally different from mine, or his, or hers. Once you find what ACTION, what VERB gives you that adrenaline rush, boom- you find your LOVE. I personally believe your kind of love is what you were put on this earth, by whichever creator you believe, or don’t believe in, to DO. Your love, your action verb love, is what has molded you into the individual you have been, the individual you are now and the individual you will become. Your love is your journey.
This idea is not THAT far out there. It is the reason why Martin Luther King was so true, why Ellen DeGeneres is so popular, why Barack Obama became president, and why anyone holds the power to do the same. Because actions speak louder than words. Because love is not a noun; love is an action, love is a verb.
