Love is the most beautiful word in the English language and its meaning in all the languages of the world take humans and animals to the very apex of life. There are a few words which make this word to shine. They are, ‘like’, ‘fond’, ‘hope’ and ‘faith'.
A little child used to jump into a neighbour's arms. He simply clung on to her neck. He was in raptures. This was a very frequent happening. An ordained person who had witnessed this, has asked the little one, “Do you love her that much?” “Yes!” “Why do you love her? Because I like her” the angel had replied. The priest had been overawed. “Out of the mouths of babes does truth pour out” had said an emotionally strained prelate.
We love a person, animal, place, a memory or thing because we like them. Love is with us from the very beginning, and for us humans, the heart is a vital component of love. Let us start at the very beginning. “The spring of love is mother” sang maestro Victor Ratnayake. Mother is love, no one knows how her life giving blood turns to life giving milk. The precursor to this miracle is falling in love. “Love is a many splendoured thing”, “You got to love and laugh a little, cry a little. That's the story of, that's the glory of love.”
Our immortal songs of Nat King Cole, Sridhar's film and song “Kadalike neram Illai (There is no time to love)” broke box office records.
Loving gestures
Then come adjectives and adverbs that lift love to a peak, love cake, lovely couple, lovable children, a very loving gesture.
Yes, everything that touches our heart is linked to love. Shahjahan built one of the wonders of the world, as an edifice of love in memory of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is indeed an everlasting memento of love. Lovely music, a sunset, a performance on the stage or playing field make our spirits to soar with “amor” or “love”.
As said by that sweet child, love and ‘like’ along with ‘fond’ could be related to anything on this planet. Especially faith and hope.
Dogs express their love towards humans by wagging their tails, a gentle whine or falling on their backs expecting a caress of love and the cat shows its love by a purr, a meow and a caress at the master's feet. Animals show their love for their offspring, by being suckled by their mothers, by playing with them and by caring for them. They show their love for one's partner by their love calls, amorous dances the sight of which make humans to love our friends on the lower rungs of the evolutionary ladder.
At times man abandons love. ‘when things fall apart’ as said by the famous African writer, man begins to remember the bad side of life. Love begins to shudder. It strives to heal. A person was seated by the sea shore. Despondency and loneliness had diabolically taken over sanity.
Lovely horizon
He approaches the turbulent sea, waving and beckoning him. He sees a lovely horizon of red and blue. A lovely sunset is in the offing. He sees a mother waving some cajans. “Two children of about ten and five are with her. One approaches him. “Uncle, please help me pull my little brother in the ‘Kola pottha’ the immortal ‘sleigh’ made of the branch of the arecanut tree. Mallie loves to be pulled on the sea sand”, He takes him by the hand. The mother smiles. “Their father has gone out to sea. The children are very happy because you are going to help them.” Silently this forlorn human being began pulling the sleigh.
“Uncle, did you also like to ride on these when you were small”. Suddenly memories resplendent with love took over him.
With tears in his eyes he placed the elder brother too on the ‘sleigh’ and went round and round and round. There were four mortals there by the sea who had been conquered by love. The person returned to life, faith and hope, Thanks to memories of a lovely past.
Love will lose its meaning without everlasting preaching's of our celestial teachers. They came to heal the world with their words on Meththa, Karuna, peace and brotherhood among all the people. Christ said ‘Greater love no man has than for him to give his life for his friend.’ And ‘Love thy neighbours as yourself’. How many of our gallant sons gave their love and life in bringing hope and fervent faith to our people and our motherland.
The words of our teachers on love will circle the globe till the end of time.
One of the most righteous, humble and pious human beings who walked on this earth-India's Achcharya Vinoba Bhave told the ultra rich, and the Zamindars of India, “If you have three children in your family think that God has given you four.
So, donate one forth of your wealth to those in need. God will bless you and your other three children”.
His project was called ‘Land through love'. Love would have cried with Joy. Only man, the most consummate of beings has, is and will be able to understand love.
by Siripathy Jayamaha/sundayobserver.lk
