How Loving Should Be and What It Means to Love Authentically

    I got distracted again by my farm games. Anyway..

    About 6 years ago, a former colleague shared a tale to me about how people used to be creatures with four legs, four arms and two heads and according to him, this was seen by the Gods as threatening. So, Zeus sliced everyone and as a result have separated the two bodies. My colleague was referring to Aristophanes' speech in Plato's Symposium, that Love is the desire we have to find our other half, in order to become whole.

     In what I believed was an attempt of a flirtatious move, I still respected the guy (How often would a person like him use such story to get a woman's attention. Obviously, this man wanted to be seen as wise, I guess) and so I responded, letting him know I enjoyed the tale and that how wonderful it would be, to find that soulmate we've all been longing for. In the back of my mind, all I can think of was the absurdity of that story. Coming from a fresh failed and soul-crushing relationship, the idea of finding a soulmate was the last thing I'd want at that time. From that day on too, I avoided conversations that was not work-related with that colleague. LOL

    As an introvert, I enjoy solitude, I love my alone time, but, when I say I'm lonely (yes I get lonely) to some of my friends and acquaintances, I'm often recommended to associate with another person romantically. But the thing is I don't want it now, maybe I just need new hobby but definitely not a hubby. I find dating aggravating, just the thought of spending some of my nights thinking about someone and how I am going to worry about him/her. I worry about myself a lot, and, for another person to get in the picture means an additional burden. 

    In my Facebook memories I came across an old video I shared in 2018. Today I was reminded again about how after my last break-up, I've taught myself to love differently. My view of love from that previous relationship was the most incorrect way, it wasn't 'authentic love'. I offered a love like Aristophanes was my coach then. LOL. And, because I'm lazy I am just going to just give you the link this article from Huffington Post of a rather brief explanation of what it really means to love authentically. I think I've set the bar high this time so I'm also not wondering why I'm still single. 

    I just finished watching the movie As Good As It Gets and I think this particular scene of Jack Nicholson character giving a compliment to Helen Hunt fits the definition of authentic love. :)