Her Destiny: On Understanding Love

"Let's see, her name is Jan. Jan, like January. I'll remember that name. Maybe it's her destiny to become a philosophy professor?" Theodore Winston, the elderly philosophy professor, assigned a new tutorial leader, was talking to himself. He knew that in her third year, she was not thrilled about having to attend round table seminars with first year students.

"I don't understand love," said Jan to her students, a little while later. "The whole concept of love is far too abstract and too broad in scope," she said aloud.

"I agree," replied one student. "Why do we have to study it anyhow?"

One by one, each student spoke out. Jan's professor stood outside the classroom door, listening quietly.

"I think that the topic of love is just so neat! It's fun and I love talking about it."

"Do you mean puppy love? I love puppies."

"Maybe romantic love, or charismatic love?"

"We don't have to understand love, just enjoy it, right?"

"Understanding love is something else. At times, it seems totally impossible to understand love?"

"The whole gamut of love is so vast, complex and mysterious in nature, that no one can really comprehend it in total."

"I think that the horizons of love are continually expanding."

"Love is eternal in scope."

"It's dynamic in nature."

"Love always exceeds our highest expectations."

"Love can be the most exhilarating or devastating experience in the world for anyone, at any time."

"Being open to the fullness of love with all of its amazing, complex and unique realms, is the only way to really understand love."

"Love has to be experienced in order to be appreciated."

"The expose on love is never ending," said Jan's professor, smiling at her, as he walked into the classroom. She had passed the first test in his absence, that of direct confrontation with her new students.

"Maybe this won't be so bad after all," thought Jan.

"Well class, what shall we talk about today?" the professor asked.

"Love!" several students replied, in unison.

"Great!" he replied, aware that that this discussion was already in progress under the Jan's tutelage, "Who wants to start? Jan?"