Do You L.O.V.E. Me?

This summer, I'm taking up a course called Philosophy of the Family. It has been decades, probably even centuries, since "marriage" and the "family" were first challenged. Ideology after ideology were accepted by the people until the definition of "family" was distorted. From then on, many people reckoned marriage as nonessential to a family. Since it's not supposed to be the case, this course aims to defend marriage-based families and to emphasize that marriage is essential to a family.

Today, I learned something interesting. A philosophical concept that I told myself to share the moment I get home. It's about "The Family as an Inter-personal reality." Okay. It sounds heavy. Don't worry, we won't talk about it. Besides, I didn't get the lesson 101% (please don't tell my prof). I was just captured by two particular concepts: the objective and the subjective aspects of the person. 

Ready for a philosophical view on love? I'll give you 5 seconds to breathe.

 5.4.3.2.1.

Breeeeaaaaattthheeeee. Ha!

Let's get started! :")

I learned that a person is an objective entity. Great. What does it mean? Don't worry. It simply means that a person is someone who exists in reality and not just in the mind. Still vague? Let's just say that as an objective entity, the person can be concretely described and known. For example, She is tall. He is handsome. He is a bubbly young man. She loves pink roses. Get it? That's the objective aspect of a person.

Furthermore, a person, as an objective entity, has a self that is unique to him/her alone. He/She has a body and a soul. The soul of a person holds the power of "knowing" and "loving." This means that there are thoughts and passions that are only known to the person who is exercising his power to think and to love. Sounds confusing? Let me explain it further. The soul is the inner self of man. If the objective aspect is that which can be seen, hear, feel, taste, or smell, the subjective aspect of man is that which is solely to himself. 

For example,

1. I can show you that I am happy (objective aspect), but deep inside I am sad (subjective). 

2. I can show you that I chose to buy the red rose (objective). But I didn't show you that I chose to buy the red rose because there's only one pink rose left and you liked it, too (subjective).

I hope it's clearer now. I wanted to show that a person doesn't just have an objective aspect, which most of us seem to value the most. A person also has his/her subjective aspect. So what? It's important to know that the person has a subjective aspect because it is the subjectivity of the person that intimately connects him with others. 

Do you LOVE me?

What's the point then?

If you want to love someone....

If you love someone...

Don't just use the objective aspect of yourself. Use your subjectivity for you to love another person intimately and genuinely. 

HOW DO WE USE OUR SUBJECTIVITY?

It's simple. Get to know the person. NOT JUST TO KNOW ABOUT THE PERSON, but to know the person. Knowing about someone isn't the same with knowing someone. Knowing about someone is simply the objective aspect of the person. You know what you see, what you observe, what you hear, etc. But when you know a person, you make him/her a part of you. You make him/her a part of your inner self. You make him/her safe within you. Remember my example earlier? Our actions can be seen, but our motives and thoughts are safe within us. It goes the same with love. 

If you want to intimately and genuinely love a person, make that person a part of you. Know him/her. Don't allow anyone or anything to take him/her from you. I don't mean physically, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Make him/her safe within you.

Even if he/she's miles away, if you love him/her truthfully and intimately, he/she is safe within YOU. No one can take him/her away from you.

Here's one example from the Bible:

15"...Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep." -John 21:15-17

Why did I quote these verses?

Here, Jesus Christ was asking Peter, one of his disciples, if he loves Him. Peter said yes, yet Jesus Christ asked him thrice. If you notice, the answers of Jesus Christ reveals something about Him. It shows that He is passionate about His sheep (His people) so much so that He instructs Peter to take care of them. 

Where's the connection?

In John 21:15-17, Jesus said that if you love me, love those who I love. It means that if you truly love someone, you have to make him/her a part of you. You don't love him/her because he/she is like this, like that, etc. Instead, you love him/her completely for who he/she is. That includes loving those he/she loves. :"> 

Do you remember the time when Jesus Christ died on the cross?

We were sinners, yet He didn't see us objectively. He didn't mind if we were dirty because He knew us so well. He knew us before we were born. He knew our hearts. He knew that we were wonderfully and fearfully made. He knew that we were created in His image. And when He died on the cross to save us, He loved us even from the very beginning.....even if we didn't love Him back.

As you finish reading this, let's love Jesus Christ! First, let us know Him truthfully. Not just the facts about Him, but know what's in His heart. Read the Bible and He'll reveal Himself to those who seek Him with all their hearts. Let's love Jesus Christ personally, intimately, and genuinely.

This applies with others as well for it was written, "love you neighbors as much as you love yourself." 
Give love!

Teach me How to Love <3

laurice-with-love <3