Everyday Canvas

Beware of Eros!

Prompt: “If you are in love with somebody, that love is a gift to you.” Sri-Sri
What are your thoughts on the subject, and is that love still a gift when your beloved mistreats you?

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It is a gift only because it shows you are capable of loving. Some people exist who do not understand what love is or cannot love another person.

Although there are many different ways of looking at love, the quote says, “if you are in love with somebody…” To me, this means a specific person, which rules out agapé and its offshoots.

I think the meaning may be more like eros, which unlike agapé, eros seeks someone like the seeker.

If the love is like that of eros, a question could be why is it that anyone seeking someone like himself or herself can still feel love when mistreated? This makes me think, one has to love oneself first before seeking for the kind of love the quote is referring to.

Then, I don’t think that love is a gift when the person you love mistreats you. It may only mean that the Creator or the Universe is showing the lover what is wrong with him or her for he or she loves that one specific abusive person.

If you still love the person who mistreats you, you are not being gifted and you are not a saint either. You are a glutton for punishment.