Love - Redefined...

I have just visited my friend's blog..

His post (titled "when i say i love you"), is really fascinating. I don't really know him very well. However, by reading his post, I can guess what kind of person he is (though I might be wrong, who knows..)

Because that blog is written in Indonesian, I shall translate some sentences for the benefit of non-Indonesian speakers..

"Dulu saya berpikir cinta adalah sesuatu yang amat sangat rumit untuk didefinisikan, lebih dari apa yang dapat kita pikirkan, sangat kompleks dan sangat abstrak. Saya menganggap cinta benar2 melibatkan emosi semata dan benar2 bergantung pada suasana hati. Sekarang saya berpikir kalau cinta itu seharusnya simple dan murni. Cinta yang sejati harus diberikan kepada orang lain secara tulus dan murni. Cinta lebih dari emosi belaka, tetapi cinta adalah sebuah komitmen. Cinta bukanlah sebuah perasaan yang bisa muncul dan bisa hilang, tetapi cinta itu ada dan tidak akan pernah hilang jika kita mau memberikannya kepada seseorang."

I used to think that Love is very difficult to describe, more than what we can think. It's very complex and abstract. It depends on the situation and our moods. However, now, I think that Love should be simple and pure. It must be given to other people sincerely and purely. It's more than just emotion, it's a commitment. It's not just a temporary feeling. It does exist and we won't lose it if we want to give it to someone

After that, he gave a definition of Love according to the Bible (he is a Christian, so am I. So I know that he quoted this paragraph from the Bible.)

Love is patient and kind
It does not envy,
It does not parade itself,
It is not puffed up,
It does not behave rudely,
It does not seek its own interest,
It is not provoked,
It thinks no evil, It does not rejoice in iniquity,
But rejoices in the truth,
Bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things, Endures all things, Love never fails.

Sering kali kita dikendalikan keadaan. Tatkala seseorang memberi kita hadiah, seseorang memberi kita perhatian, seseorang mendukung kita, ataupun seseorang sudah menjadi seperti yang kita harapkan, kita begitu mudah mengatakan "aku mencintaimu". Bisakah kita tetap berkata "aku mencintaimu" ketika seseorang sudah menyakiti kita, melakukan hal yang kasar terhadap kita, lalai memberi yang terbaik untuk kita, atau bahkan membenci kita?

Quite often, we are directed by situation (we act according to the situation - my version). When someone is kind to us, it's easy for us to say "I love you". However, can we say "I love you" also when that someone hurt us, do something rude to us, fail to give us the best, or even hate us?

Mungkin ini terdengar terlalu idealis bagi kebanyakan orang yang menganggap hal ini mustahil dan tidak akan mungkin dilakukan kebanyakan orang. Betul, saya setuju. Setiap orang memiliki tendensi untuk meminta dan mengharapkan lebih dari seseorang.

Maybe it sounds too idealistic for most people. It may sound impossible. I agree. Every human has the tendency to ask more and expect more.

Jikalau kita memiliki seseorang yang sangat spesial bagi diri kita yang mau belajar mencintai kita, syukurilah. Janganlah menganggap semua pemberian dari seseorang itu hanyalah sesuatu yang seharusnya kita dapatkan. Seandainya kita bisa menemukan seseorang yang bisa kita cintai tanpa menjadi egois, itu betul-betul sebuah anugerah.

If you have someone very special who loves us, treasure him. Don't take that for granted. If we can find someone we can love, it's really a blessing for us.

And finally, he ended his post by writing in English (again, quoted The Bible)

"Love the Lord your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbour as you love yourself"


I am so fascinated, can't agree more. Although it's somehow very idealistic and of course, it's easier said than done, but it's really a good reading and hopefully, each day, we are going closer towards that ideal state of Love.