Love.
It may be a word that is the most frequently used word in the English language. You hear the words “love you “ being said wherever you are. I do it, too. So, what does it mean? Is it real love or just a way to let someone know you appreciate and value them here and now?
I decided to define this word as I see it. So, what does “Love” mean to me? It means that when I am with you, I am with you and PRESENT with you. It means that I HEAR you. It means that I may or may not UNDERSTAND you and can ask for clarification so that I can confirm with you.
Confirming is so much a part of love. It tells you I am where you need me to be: To be one with you in that moment.
So. the “love” I write of takes and makes one from two. I know this personally, not just intellectually. Not many of us do. It is part of the way I envision the “Kitchen Table.”
I see mother, father, and children sitting around their table in the kitchen. They are talking and attentive to each other; all are involved. They are present, listening, and spontaneously jumping in; they are being heard and unafraid to ask for clarification or more details. Here, dialogue is happening, and age doesn’t matter. One’s voice is important; it is being heard and is an essential part of the family. Every individual knows, feels, and experiences this nurturing taking place.
More than anything else, love allows us the need to be ourselves. And for the luckiest of us, it happens around the “Kitchen Table.” Love between people is healthy food for our hearts and souls.
My family sees me—They hear and listen to me—And I come to be
Here’s an abstract sketch that Dall-E AI created from the haiku. Machines see human relationships in mysterious ways.