‘Love’ has been the specialty of songwriters and poets for millennia. Ballads, sonnets, tragedies, operas and even limericks use love as their theme. In current times, many artists’ successful careers have been built on the pillar of love songs. No wonder, because we humans relate to love so easily and naturally that we yearn for it. Our ears are automatically drawn to even the whisper of it. 

For me, the word ‘love’ conjures images, memories and a unique feeling. The word itself is often a reminder of the song “Love is All You Need” by the Beatles. The lyrics are simple. The opening stanza launches with big bass. The melody goes on to incorporate other orchestral instruments and beautiful harmonies. Typical for the Beatles, the song wanders with changing measures throughout, and even lyrics from another famous song of theirs - “She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah” - find their way in. You can even hear Paul McCartney urging us on to sing along with his “...altogether now.” What’s catchy about the song is the chorus, “All you need is love … love is all you need.” So simple, yet so bold and powerful at the same time. This summarizes what I believe about love - in an anthem. 

Let’s explore ‘love’. 

Love is inexhaustible. It is one of the few things you can possess in life which grows, not diminishes, as you give it away. It is unlike physical things, which reduce when you give them away. Money is an example of something that as you spend or give it away, you retain less of it. That’s not the same for love. Love, like knowledge, does not decline as you give it away. As you spread your knowledge, the quantity you have is not reduced. Similarly, as you love and spread love, the amount you have does not ebb. In fact, the more you love, the more love you will have.   

Love is grown. You can give it away and receive it, but you cannot buy or steal it, or even forcefully obtain it. It comes only from the inside and occurs naturally. Stay tuned to find out why. 

Love includes sacrifice. There is an English adage that says “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” The sacrifice of allowing another person space and time despite how it may impact you and your happiness is perhaps the most beautiful expression of love.  

Love drives empathy. The ability to understand and share in the feelings of others comes from love. 

Love is needed for peace. Whether internal or external, there can be no peace without love. Nations may not love each other per se, but the desire of their citizens to live in harmony with their neighbours comes from love. 

Love is neither obsessive nor selfish. True love cannot be from attachment, nor can it be the result of something which is hurtful to another. 

Love hurts. When we lose someone, we feel the pain of separation due to love. And while separated, the longing we feel to be reunited is due to love. 

Love makes us serve. Whether in settings with friends and family or with complete strangers, our actions to help and serve others without gain for ourselves comes from love. 

To love and to feel loved are among the most basic of our emotions. In the animal kingdom, the notion to protect the young and weak is instinctual to further the species. For humans, it is because we are programmed to love. It is built into our DNA. 

All races, cultures and languages know of love. Love is timeless. Love is universal. Love is inclusive. Love is perfect. Love comes from God / Allah / Hari / Ram / Yahweh / Gobind / Waheguru. The love we feel and project is because God made us out of love in order to love. 

Let’s explore what happens when there is no love. 

The lack of love is the root of racism. Seeing others as anything other than equals can only happen because there is no love. 

The lack of love is behind exclusion and isolation. Wherever we find ourselves in the spectrum of age, gender, race, class, sexuality and ability, only a lack of love can evoke exclusion. 

The lack of love drives humanity to all manner of atrocities like war, terrorism, torture and other unspeakable acts. These atrocities are not only events in history, but occur even today where power, greed, avarice and pride still drive people to rape, plunder and kill others at a national scale. 

As humans, we are faced with challenges and decisions every day. In both the business and political worlds, we encounter people who do not share our enthusiasm or appreciate our ideas. We may find that we are divided on issues due to diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, ideologies or spiritual beliefs. There are already enough systemic divisions within our society. We do not need to create more. Yet, we continue to disagree, to fight and do harm, not only at a national scale, but in our own little worlds. Why do we act this way exactly? Because. There. Is. No. Love. 

How do we fix this? We can make a start by taking a few hints from the Fab Four’s song: 

“There's nothin' you can know that isn't known 
Nothin' you can see that isn't shown 
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be 
It's easy 

All you need is love 
All you need is love 
All you need is love, love 
Love is all you need” 

Let’s keep it simple and choose love - always!