Mature Love

Thanks, Jeff, for recounting Erickson's definition of mature love, "in your happiness, I find my happiness."

This is basically the same as what I think of as the common element of love. What is love? We often talk of many different kinds of love: love of a parent for a child, love of a child for a parent, love between friends, love between lovers, etc. Though all these types of love a different, they all must have something in common, since they are all love. I believe that all of the different types of love share the following: Your joy gives me joy and your sorrow gives me sorrow.

I believe that this second of the above definition is important because it shows that an abusive and controlling relationship is not love. I would content that what is often called love is more like what we might call "joy of ownership or possession." I any case, it is not love.

I would be interested in what thoughts you or anyone else might have on this subject.

Thanks,

Dave

dhubbard@primenet.com

Replies:

Bonner's and the Putneys' Love, by Stephen Lankton, 11/12/97 A short thought on Love..., by John Gauger, 11/13/97 Known in what way?, by Stephen Lankton, 11/14/97 Knowing = Loving, by John Gauger, 11/16/97 A narcissist reply, by Michael Melhorn, 11/17/97 love is not the known, by michael melhorn, 11/15/97 True Love, by Julie, 1/13/99 Love and loving, by Robin Allenson, 4/8/98 I agree, Robin., by Jeffrey K. Zeig, 4/12/98 Re:I agree, Robin., by richard brandow, 06/29/01 Well put, by Stephen Lankton, 4/13/98 And love of clients?, by Diane Kistner, 5/25/98 Diane, I hope therapists can love their clients, by Mary, 6/28/98 Love, by Stephen Lankton, 7/3/98 Re:Love, by Steve Lankton, 12/24/02 Re:And love of clients?, by :), 12/23/02 Use a name, by Steve Lankton, 12/24/02 reply to what is love, by Michael Melhorn, 11/13/97

| Behavior OnLine Home Page | Disclaimer |

Copyright © 1996-2004 Behavior OnLine, Inc. All rights reserved.