Love

From Bell Hooks' book, "All About Love":

"If our society had a commonly held understanding of the meaning of love, the act of loving would not be so mystifying... Deep affection does not adequately describe love's meaning..."

"Imagine how much easier it would be for us to learn how to love if we began with a shared definition... [Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck] defines love as 'the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth." Explaining further, he continues: 'Love is as love does. Love is an act of will -- namely both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love.' Since the choice must be made to nurture growth, this definition counters the more widely accepted assumption that we love instinctually."