Love Never Ends

Love Never Ends: Part 1

Walking through the magnificence of the Taj Mahal, one cannot help but marvel at the beauty of the building. For many, however, it is not the structure itself that is appealing but the story behind its construction. According to historians, an emperor had many wives, but his favorite one had died, so he decided to honor her by building a structure that would be left as a testimony of his love for her, and so the Taj Mahal has stood through time as a symbol of LOVE.

Boy likes girl; girl likes boy. It seems natural that they end up falling in love. Unfortunately, there is a wall between them, a schism that separates them because their families have been entangled in a feud for a long time. They are left with no choice but to elope, and in the process, they both die. And for many, the story of Romeo and Juliet is the perfect representation of LOVE.

Hellen of Troy, also known as Helen of Sparta, was said to be the most beautiful woman that has ever lived. After many suitors tried to win her heart, she married king Menelaus. Hellen was then abducted by Prince Paris of Troy, an event that resulted in the Trojan war, as Hellen's husband and the Achaeans (Greeks) went to war against the city of Troy to rescue her. Thousands were killed before the king rescued his wife. Though only a fictional story of Greek mythology, it is seen by some as an example of fierce LOVE that fights everything and everyone to recover the beloved.

In 1936, Edward VIII of England became king after the death of his father. However, the allurement of becoming king took second place when abdicated a year later when he decided to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, because the monarchy protocol would not allow such union. He chose love over the throne, and many see this an inspiring LOVE story.

A man in a stadium makes arrangements for one of the cameras to focus on him so he can propose to his girlfriend, who was apparently oblivious of his plans. Everyone in the stadium is watching in awe through the huge screens around the stadium as he kneels in front of his beloved girlfriend, and from his pocket takes out a small box with a shiny ring. She cries as she covers her mouth with both hands, and everyone in the stadium exclaims in unison, "aaah". And for many, that is LOVE. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Love is ingrained in human nature, and it is present in every culture, in every country, in every society. It has been the driving force that has led humans to move on through war and peace, suffering and happiness, poverty and wealth. As seen in the examples above, in the name of love, temples have been built, lovers have died rather than being separated, wars have been fought, thrones have been rejected, and humans have come up with the strangest ways to express it. LOVE. Most people make it their main goal to find it, nourish it, and never let it go. However, do we really understand what love is? A popular song goes, "I want to know what love is ...." and perhaps most of us should take a step back in order to consider the lyrics, whether we really know what love is. For those who have read the chapter of First Corinthians 13 in the Bible, the list of characteristics of love may seem a bit daunting, idyllic, and quite impossible to achieve. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

Have you ever considered love from this perspective? I challenge you to question whether you really understand what love is. Let's consider each of the characteristics of love listed in the chapter of 1st Corinthians in order to witness how each of them has become alive in people's lives.