Good “Love Can Be Kept Only By Being Given Away” – Reflection Essay Example

Given the constant talk about how families are changing now that the hierarchical/patriarchal structures of the family has been altered by industry, the question remains as to whether or not families can stay together in a world that is becoming more individualistic. “Love Can Be Kept Only By Being Given Away” argues for the maintenance of giving and sharing of affection in love, as this is what keeps familial ties together and brings about real happiness: “True happiness in found in unselfish love, a love which increases in proportion as it is shared.” Love is also tied in with charity and honesty, as love does not necessarily equate to kindness and protectiveness. Rather, there is a focus on honesty that is refreshing: “A love, therefore, that is selfless, that honestly seeks the truth, does not make unlimited concessions to the beloved.”
This article in particular is interesting, as it presumes that love cannot exist where it is not shared; this may actually be a somewhat limiting and reductive viewpoint, as the author simply writes off whatever does not fit their specific definition of love as “a delusion.” It is also incredibly religiously minded, as it bases its philosophy on explicitly Christian viewpoints. While the main idea is absolutely admirable, and it is incredibly fulfilling for the function of a society and the cultivation of a social life, it does not adequately cover the issue of unrequited love. If you love someone, and they do not love you back, how is that love returned to you apart from an abstract, religious sense?