A book that defines healthy love
If you’re a woman buy this book. If you’re a mom buy this book. If you seek love buy this book. So many of us think love is a feeling but it is action. So many of us think we’ve experienced love when all we’ve experienced is care & affection. Bell Hooks challenged my perception on what love truly is. She gave it a definition and made me reflect on whether or not I truly received love. She defines love as actions that show care, affection, honesty, open communication, respect, trust, and responsibility. It isn’t a natural instinct but a choice that effort and action must be put into. She also defined a term that I found particularly interesting. Cathexis - to feel deeply drawn to someone and invest feeling into them. This is a fancy term that basically explains the difference between an attachment and love. Often times, when we are neglected, abused, or feel loneliness we mistake cathexis for love. In truth, love never abuses or neglects we just have an attachment issue.
photo cred: @pretty_x_bookish