Today, the word ‘love’ means a lot of things to different people. For instance, love could mean criticising and correcting someone’s faults or buying them something expensive from a store. However, to me, the word ‘love’ means something completely different. Living life as an expat in Dubai has been simple, yet complex. It has been simple because meeting and socialising with people always seemed easy. However, today in a world where competition and money play a big role, how certain can we be that the people we surround ourselves with genuinely care for us? How do we know if they will be with us, on our bad days, too? Relationships are uncertain. This forces me to ask everyone including myself, what exactly is the meaning of love? Is love going to a place of faith and preaching about it, or is love, visiting an old-aged home? Love to me, simply lies in a family. For me, it’s the focal point or the epicentre of what the term is all about. Parents are understanding and are always there for their children. They work hard to provide for them and are always looking out for them. They wouldn’t be jealous of their children and do everything for their best interest. A loving family always prioritises a person’s well-being, more than his or her societal status. In my life, the roots of love start with my parents, who took care of me, no matter how much I scored in my exams or how many awards I won. To me, they are the definition of the word. They value people and not materialistic things. If you want to know what love really is, just ask your parents.
- Reader is a freelance writer based in Dubai
