From the mouths.

I often just sit like the Buddhist I drew on my iPad yesterday and just think.  A lot of those thoughts grow from the many interactions I have had over the years with young people. They have touched my life is so many ways and I hope in turn I touched theirs. 

One of the things I often smile about is the many many different descriptions I have heard of what we mean by love. It came with the territory as a minister and teacher of ethics and philosophy to discover what love meant. 

I am sure I have shared some of those in the past but I hope these are others from my memory bank.

From the mouths of children.

"When my granny got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather did it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." 

Jane

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." -- Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." 

Billy

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your chips without making them give you any of theirs." 

David

 "Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mum and Dad are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

 Jean

 "Love is when you tell a boy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." 

Mary

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." 

Thomas

 "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." 

Ann 

  "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  

Forget to note down the name of this one.

And here's the final answer to "What does Love mean?"

 The story that really sums up love for me is this true account.

The old man next door from young James had been to the funeral of his wife. later that day he was sitting in the front garden.

James, seeing the man cry, went into the old gentleman's garden and climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. 

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Have a marvellous day.