The power of Love

Since childhood, we were taught that we, humans, are a race that knows how to build relations. And most of all, that we are smarter than all living beings on earth, and that we are created on the image of God.

As I grew older and saw the wonders of the world, I started wondering what makes us different than everything that’s on earth. Many animals were beautiful, so I started thinking, what is it that makes us unique? What is it that makes us beautiful? Were there norms for beauty? And if yes, why is beauty relative?

Year after year, I was more curious to know the answer. So far, it was not beauty that makes us unique. But was it intelligence? Well, we created an artificial intelligence that bypassed us in many ways, and that’s faster. Sure, it is not self-conscious, and it has so many flaws, so it wasn’t intelligence that makes us unique.

Day by day, it was becoming clearer that the combination of everything, was getting pieces all together to show the beauty of humanity. Still, there was one missing piece. What is it so special about being a Human? And what makes us feel alive? It isn’t something that can be programmed, or that can be stored and it isn’t something that can be decided or designed.

It was only the mistakes that humans did that made me realize the truth. Why would my mom still love me when I spill food and soup on my white shirt? And why would my dad still love me when I repeat the same mistake after hundreds of failed trials? Why would they insist on success, even where I never see it? Why didn’t my friends abandon me when I hurt them? And why didn’t my teachers give up on me when I messed up?

Maybe there was a reason for not giving up on me, but what was the reason behind the passion that these people had towards my well being? Even though I was full of flaws, even though I was a losing investment, some people decided to just stick there, and just be there. Something strong, a force that unites opposing powers. I knew about love, but I never knew that it had the power to keep all those people next to me, nor keep me next to the ones I loved. I realized that I didn’t love the people I believed in, but I believed in the people I loved. And regardless of their potential, I had a passion for them. I realized that the sparkle in someone’s eyes when they talk about someone they love is the beauty of being a Human. And I realized that being there for someone, no matter the outcome, is the meaning of being a Human. Persistence may have a huge impact, but persistence without love is just a random statistical decision.

From the sparkle in lovers’ eyes to the determination to be there for a friend, to the desire of making your friend happy, just for the sake of friendship and love, I found the meaning of being a Human. And I discovered that I exist in the hearts of those who loved me, and the ones I loved. I thought that drawing a smile on the people I love would make them happy, I was surprised that the fact of making them smile, drew a bigger smile on my face than the one on theirs. And although animals have love and affection towards each other, it was the consciousness of love, and the will to preserve this love and make it grow despite the difficulties that made us different.

Love cannot be touched, cannot be materialized, and cannot be seen. Still, it has an incredible power to draw people with nothing in common to become one, uniting two opposites to become one entity. Whether in marriage, friendship, or family, it all sums up to the moments when love lit a flame in your heart when you were about to get cold. What’s special about this flame, is that it never fades, it can turn off for a while, but it will spark again from under the sand when you least expect it and most need it.

Joe J. El Housseini