Love is always referred to as a powerful drug. In reality, it kind of is. In the most biological (and chemical) sense, hormones get stimulated by the hypothalamus in order to flood the brain. These hormones drive the feelings of love. Attraction and attachment stem from the production and release of dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher order thinking and decision making, gets temporarily inhibited (Katherine Wu 2017).
There is so much to still consider. Love isn’t cut-and-dry. Although science recognizes the release of these chemicals, they are a result of love, not a cause.
Each individual has their own ideals, experiences, and ways of expressing love. We are connected by these feelings.
In my perspective, love is recognizing the flaws, strengths, and everything in between about individuals, but still appreciating, understanding, and committing ourselves to those relationships and bonds. I always believed love is a mixture of pure feeling and individual decision.
Recently, my partner had baked me a beautiful strawberry Valentine’s cake. I was so happy I ate about 1/3rd of the entire pan in one sitting. Despite our different values, we continue to cherish each other. I feel loved when I feel seen for everything I am.
We’re human beings, we’re never going to be the same, but being patient and accepting each other’s flaws is something that never stops us from growing with one another.”
– Sasha M.
These emotions of adoration are not limited to significant others. They span far and wide to strangers, friends, and family. The warmth we feel is a mutual bond.
Expressions of appreciation is the core part of forming a mutual feeling of trust between people. True love among individuals is effort from both parties. A friend I’ve had, despite seldom talking to, had taken time to drive hours to meet me in Niagara Falls. It was both of our first times there and it was one of the most breathtaking and memorable experiences we’ve ever felt.
I struggle to maintain my relationships and feel comfortable expressing how I feel. That’s why it’s imperative that I explain my difficulties in an honest way. True loved ones will try to understand and support you. Making each other feel safe, comfortable, and appreciated is key to open and honest conversations.
I express love to my dogs with boundless cuddles, playing around, and a billion pets. They return it with a sloppy kiss across my face and happy wags of their butts. Human interactions are bit more difficult. Currently, isolation and feelings of loneliness has begun to rise in the current generation.
Acknowledge that you can be loved, treasure the relationships you have, and don’t hesitate to make it known how grateful you are for the people that you have. Humans are creatures capable of intense feelings of adoration and reaching levels of understanding we never expect.
I really like how multi-faceted your look into love is. I think we often relegate love to solely meaning romantic, especially with how popular culture depicts it. So, it’s refreshing to see it discussed in a fleshed-out context.
Your struggle to express emotions and feelings with those around you is so relatable. I have issues trusting people due to previous experiences which did not end well and digital communication is not my strongest suit. It’s comforting to see another person who feels the same about making relationships and tries to improve themselves.
In terms of increased isolation and loneliness in our generation, I wonder if COVID-19 had an impact on that. Being cooped up in our rooms during quarantine probably wasn’t the most healthy thing and it may be the main contributor to this trend.
Mengxian, I enjoyed the route that you took in talking about love. I especially loved how you said that “love is recognizing the flaws, strengths, and everything in between…”. Sometimes I feel as if people think that love should always be cut and dry and that is not the case. Love can mean you have differences and that is what love is about. Nobody is ever going to agree with everything you say and that’s okay. Also, that cake looked so good