Mint + Laurel’s Mini Dictionary: Love
It's that time of the year again. Red roses, chocolates and heart holding teddy bears. Many philosophers across the years have debated on an accurate definition of ‘Love’. Yet, despite the terms’ confusing discourse, it is safe to say that each person defines love according to their own encounters.
Since February is the universal month of love; our team shared short excerpts on what love means for each of them.
Love is appreciating your surroundings and celebrating your elders journeys:
Love is feeling safe to be vulnerable without fear of judgement, it is comfort and excitement at the same time. Love is having family members living in different corners around the world frantically checking up on one another, it is your friends who bring you food when you are done with work, it is your grandparents praying during the sunrise for your protection. Love is realizing God's blessings and continuing your day with a grateful heart.
There are many different ways to express your love in Arabic. But the dearest one to me was how my Jiddo (grandpa) used to do it. We - my siblings and I- would rush in to hug him, and as he greeted us Jiddo would say in between laughs 'Ana bahbkom kteer' which means 'I love you all very much'. In Jordanian culture, you kiss the right hand of your grandparents and place it gently on your forehead. After doing that, Jiddo would say to me 'Allah yirda aleki' which roughly translates to 'May God be pleased with you'. This entire greeting ritual is a definition of love.
- Diala Ghneim, Research Fellow
Love is being selfless and caring:
Love is a choice. It is the deliberate act of putting in time and effort to show someone you care for them. Whether it’s making sure they drink enough water, have enough food in their stomachs, or enough clothes on their backs, love shines through with action. Love is hard work that comes easy when you truly care for someone. It is waking up every morning and making the decision to keep someone in your life. Love is giving even when there is nothing to get in return. Above all, love is tender. Love is kind. Love brings us all together.
- Dahlia Lam, Graphics & Digital Fellow
Love is acceptance and making time for those who matter:
Love is when you genuinely take care of the people that surround you [...]. It’s taking time out of your busy schedule to connect and form new memories. It's wanting to age and grow with the people you choose to surround yourself with. It is pure because it’s accepting one another and learning how to compromise or forgive when times get complicated.
- Joselyn Lua, Videographer
Love is being centered and gentle:
Love is being present in your relationships [...]. Love is honoring the moment in everything you do and with everyone you engage with. Love is speaking softly, moving forward deliberately and treading gently so that everything in nature feels your warmth and care. Love is feeling connected to every being and nurturing them as though you are nurturing yourself.
- Rama Chakaki, Co-Founder
Love is a combination of everything. It is unfair to define it in one sentence:
“It's difficult to summarize the meaning of love and there are so many ways to capture it. I recently came across Salvatore Farragamo's new collection for valentine's day, Patchwork of LOVE which beautifully defines what love is: "LOVE is a patchwork of creative dreams turning into reality and generations coming together as heritage meets the new vanguard." How fitting and eloquent!
- Sarah Hayes, Social Impact Fellow
Love is universal:
Love is being seen and heard. It’s a connection to self, to others as well as to nature. Love can be simple or complex, it can be spiritual or physical. [...]. This is what makes love so beautiful, it’s not defined in one singular way and yet it’s embraced by all.
There are many romantic words to describe “Love” in Arabic, but for me “Hayat Albi” in Arabic translates to “life of my heart” is my favorite. I also could never eloquently describe it in English but in Arabic it’s beautiful and tender.
- Kinda Hibrawi, Co-Founder
After compiling the piece, it seems that all those philosophers were right. Love is all around us, it is everything and it is everywhere. Happy loving!