I have long felt compelled to talk about the quality and kind of love that we, lay people, have experienced.
The people in a relationship love
This can be a boyfriend/girlfriend, this can be a love affair, something of that sort.
Usually this sort of love is governed by fear of losing the lover and mostly by jealousy.
We think that if our lover loves another person then we will miss our share.
In that relationship, we see love as a divisible entity, as if when consumed somewhere else we will feel some lack.
I would not call this as love, because this love is tainted with fear and with so many conditions and carefulness.
We try to hold our love and feelings and only share it when the right person comes or if our lover behaves.
Brotherly or Sisterly Love
This love is still conditional and only shared with our “brothers” or “sisters”. We only love those who are good with us. This sort of love has less selfishness to it, and more true love and a sense of sacrifice and genuine will to help the others within our circle.
Parental Love
Parental love is the kind of love that a mother or father share with their children.
This love is governed by self-sacrifice, by protection and by care and gentleness.
Parents often forget themselves and only focus on their children.
Unconditional Love
It is the “unspoken” love. We rarely have the chance to experience what this love is.
We cannot image that we could love people and share our love while there will still be plenty of love for everyone.
This love does not know color, selfishness, desire or any sort of interest. This love is invading, it goes to all the people that we see without any discrimination.
That sort of love has been practiced by saints, sages and masters of old times and contemporary times.
Conclusion
There are many sorts of love relationships, and it is up to us to animate this love with selfishness or with selflessness. May all the sages inspire you so that you become a channel of unlimited and unconditional love.