Whether the word “love” is used to refer to a romantic partner or a family member, it often inspires feelings of devotion and compassion. Love may also entail a desire to support and encourage someone else — such as a person struggling with mental health symptoms or addictions. It may even involve sacrifice of self for the sake of another.
To write an effective essay on this topic, it helps to have a clear understanding of what love actually is. In order to do so, one must consider its various meanings and definitions, as well as its emotional and behavioral aspects. It is also helpful to have a good grasp of the history and development of this concept, as well as how it relates to other human emotions and experiences.
If you are writing about love, it is important to show rather than tell your audience how the characters feel. While merely telling readers about the intensity of a couple’s feelings might capture their attention briefly, it will not help them become fully invested in the story. To truly bring your reader into the experience, describe their expressions, touches and gestures.
Those who understand love as a choice tend to see it as an ongoing process of cultivation and maintenance. There may be days, weeks or even years when you don’t feel all mushy and in-love, but if you stick with it, those moments will eventually pass. It’s during the times when you’re not feeling all giddy and in-love that you have to work hardest on your relationship, by practicing standards of empathy, honesty, vulnerability and self-sacrifice.