Yes, Cristina, I agree that, for most, the motivation and intentions are positive and well-meaning. I also agree that, in many instances, aspects of the experience that is generally considered to be 'love', can be life affirming.

My comment was not meant to be demeaning of the overwhelming majority of people who use the term 'love' without recognising the delusion that it is.

After all, it is difficult to escape from conditioning, not least when is so wide-spread, because few tend to question 'norms', particularly when those norms are portrayed as satisfying and even lauded as desirable aims.

However, that doesn't change the reality that far more harm comes from the misconceptions about what is known as 'love', than do benefits. That is hardly surprising, given the selfish nature of this thing called 'love'.

Unfortunately, humanity has shown little ability or achievement in the affective domain and most of the concepts that are associated with it are neither accurate, nor questioned. One only has to consider the overwhelming cruelty, aggression, conflict and violence across the World to see the evidence that this is true.

In 300,000 years, Homo Sapiens has shown amazing learning, creativity, innovation and such in the domains of science and technology. So outstanding are some of the advances that not so long ago they were considered science-fiction / unachievable / impossible or, indeed, not even considered because there was not yet any awareness of even their possibility, let alone their achievement or implementation.

Yet, when one considers how human beings get along and behave towards one another, not least in what are considered 'loving' and intimate relationships, there appears to have been little if any change at all from the earliest times. If anything, our suspicion, deception, opacity, hypocrisy, greed, corruption, bigotry, lack of compassion and all manner of negative thought and behaviour seems to worsen with every year. It does so both at an individual and local level and across humanity as a whole.

If one is inclined to any thoughtful consideration of what it is to be human, one has to wonder that such is the case and at the contrast in progress between the domains.

In my view, things will not get better until we put others first and start to see difference as opportunity. Sadly, the common view of so many so-called 'life coaches', (most of whom have hardly lived), psychologists and other, usually self-appointed 'experts' on how to manage one's life, is to encourage putting one's self first. They justify this by the specious argument that unless you are o.k. you can't help anyone else. This type of nonsense is part of what maintains negative traits of human beings and until it is recognised and we seek empathy rather than that delusive notion of 'love', we will continue as a stunted and infantile race with as little ability to understand the nature of our actions as a group of squabbling toddlers.

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Thank you, all the same, for your poem which as I stated earlier, portrays your message very well.

Thank you, too, for adding my comment to your lists. I very much appreciate that. It is a kind action.

Take care. Stay safe. ☮️