Dear Quetzel,

Unlike Riashain, I -do- find your posts amusing, m'dear Quetzel. The
attempt at logic in regards to my Lady's realms that you've just shown
is really too much to not be so!

Because Love is such a difficult concept to grasp, however, I couldn't
resist also stepping forward and attempting to explain it... after all,
only the Lady is capable of perfect Love, but we as mortals can strive
to learn how to Love perfectly and be as close to Her realms as possible
just the same.

Mortals are limited. Some are more limited than others, I must admit,
but we are all limited nonetheless. You are correct in saying that we
are 'naturally selfish beings' (see your Public post 15928 for that
quote)... in fact, I don't know how we would survive if we weren't! Only
we know what is best for us since we are closest to ourselves... even
-if- absolutely everybody in the world was completely selfless, we would
be miserable. We can't all be mindreaders, and even we don't understand
completely what it is that we want.

If we are to accept the above is true, what does that have to do with
Love and the existence thereof? Love exists inside and outside of us -
it has no boundaries, and is a concept completely all its own. Can you
point to the Seas and say (truthfully) it does not exist? Yet people
carry the oceans within themselves, are drawn naturally to it and
sometimes seem to be made of it with the way their personality operates,
the way they experience emotions and, essentially, the world. (Forgive
me, Lord Neraeos, for using Your realms as an example here.)

So, too, does Love fill us and touch everything that we do, everything
that we are. This is how Love is 'deeper' than personality traits and
selfish desires. This is how some people -do- fall desperately in Love
with plants... perhaps not in a way that drives them to desire sexual
gratification from them, that expects mutual support and that
'feel-good' quality you describe us as seeking when it comes to Love,
but in a different way.

I understand I just got finished explaining Love is its own concept, and
it shouldn't have different subcategories, but it's difficult to explain
it without recognizing that as mortals, we attach (whether we mean to or
not) different qualities to Love. Romantic Love, then, becomes different
from the Love we have for plants. One is selfish, but only because our
biological make-up forces us to naturally seek someone who can fulfill
our desire for procreation (for those who are heterosexuals, procreation
does play an enormous role... the 'planting of the male seed', if you
will, coupled with the desire for a bonding attachment that will best
protect the young created) and gratification. One is rather selfless,
since a plant, although living, does not have the capabilities we do
when it comes to reciprocating love in a way that we understand. Plants
do grow if we tend to them and show them Love, though, do they not?

However, when you recognize why one form of Love is selfish, you can dig
underneath and find the true, perfect Love that exists outside of our
own definitions and personal expectations. It may be fragmented and
difficult to experience because, as you and I have agreed, we are
selfish beings, but it is there all the same.

Love is not only romantic. One can Love themselves, family, friends,
plants, Good, Evil, acts of charity, acts of violence... one can and
often does Love things that cannot return the sentiment. For instance, I
can love gold and the things gold can bring. Does it mean that the gold
and the material comforts it means Loves me back?

Most would say, probably not.


With Love, darling Quetzel,
Viera Trufyre, the Long-Winded.

Penned by my hand on the 10th of Phaestian, in the year 417 AF.