I’M THE DUMB ONE.

The distance between the moon and earth is pretty long. And according to my parents the distance I have to go, before I can be called a "responsible person", is longer than that.

Yesterday , while driving home from work I stopped over at the food court in Deira City Centre. Standing in line, I looked around at all the "couples" who sat around me. Holding hands. Shy smiles. Loud giggles. People in "love" maybe.

If you shifted to earth very recently , its another matter. But if you have been around on this planet for anything more than 15 minutes, you would have heard this word. For a bollywood director , "love" must be the greatest invention ever. To spot a UFO while on your way to office tomorrow is easier than spotting a movie which does not involve the deadly trio - boy , girl , love. Even the cyber world is bustling with desperate flirts who hope to find "love".

And then this boyfriend-girlfriend thing. Its like a toothbrush. You got to have one.

" Hi , I have brain cancer."
Thats ok , we all gotta die anyway.

"Guess what, my house burned down last night."
Don’t worry , these things happen.

"Hey , I dont have a girlfriend."
What ! Why did not you tell me about this ? Oh poor boy , everything will be fine.God can be real cruel sometimes...

Everybody knows about love. Talks about love. And the way this "love" word is use, leaves me feeling strange. I feel there are two different aspects. To love someone. And to be loved. It is said "to be loved" is a natural need. And for me , its a need and not love. As long as you want this person or need this person , you dont love her , you love yourself and want "to be loved" by her.

Love is not meant to be a selfish thing. Love is much harder and selfless than that. To love is not to wish for someone to be with oneself , but to give up oneself for that someone. Love is not in sharing cocktails on some beach, but in staying thirsty if it helps her. love's beauty is in being so consumed with it , that you forget your pains and smile , just because she smiled somewhere , no longer aware of your existence. Love is not about wanting her, but wanting her happiness , with you or without you.

I wonder if the word "love" is used as a cover-up for selfish desires , needs and wants. I am no authority.I am no guru with the sagacious face and the halo around my head. But the way love is seen as some "coochie-coochie-valentines-gift-holding hands" concept leaves me feeling funny. Love is hard. Love is not a punishment which leaves you restless. But it is something which makes you feel a bliss in a punishment , just because she is happy.

I am not looking at any roses placed between yellowed pages.And I do not wish to insult anyone's feelings. Just that I feel, that to love someone is supposed to be something very deep and heartfelt, that when you say "I love you" to someone , realise the responsibility and commitment it stands for. Its not about you anymore. Its about your partner. And I am not trying to preach anything here , please.J ust that I felt something ,and wrote it. And if I dont make sense , and you wonder what's the problem with me - see the title to the post.