– Love means that you have to learn to respect the other as an end unto himself. The other is not a means. That is the only immoral act in the world. In fact, the whole of immorality can be defined through this simple thing: if you are using the other as a means, you are immoral. If you are full of respect for the other person as an end, then you are moral.
Sooner or later the other person, wants his space and fear arises in you. You would like to make the other a prisoner of course, with beautiful chains, golden chains studded with diamonds. Then you can be certain of tomorrow. Otherwise who knows? Your lover may leave you. One never knows what is going to happen the next moment, so one, wants to be certain about the next moment, one wants a certain guarantee, and that very guarantee kills love.
Then there are husbands and wives… Those are the people who have butchered love, killed it completely. Now, marriage is certainly a far more permanent phenomenon, like a plastic flower. A real rose is bound to disappear. Just a strong wind comes and the petals wither away. One has to accept that life is a constant flux.
Love creates all these challenges, but if you remain centered, alert and aware, then these challenges are immensely helpful; they make you rich.
