We’ve lost the plot. We’ve lost the meaning of love. Maybe it is due to our own inadequacies. Or because of Hollywood’s romantic comedy ‘cottage industry’. Or maybe it is simply because we never paused to understand what it really is. We’ve never stopped to experience and understand the transition from romance to love.
And you may ask: when does romance turn into love? When it becomes so real that it is actionable. Tough love, I like. I can live with that, and I expect nothing less. The convenient kind of love is like instant noodles — sure you get the taste but it is not the real deal eh.
So love means wanting the best for people you care about. So I want the best, the most optimal, for what wants the best, and the most optimal in you. I am not on the side of you that’s aiming at your defeat or making you miserable. I will not support the You that is pulling you down. I will support the You that is pulling you up, and to a better space. A space where you can breathe freely. I’m on the side of you that’s struggling, hurting, and still looking towards a better version of you.
I want to be that person. And I want to be on the receiving end of this. I’m on the side of that part of me, or at least try to be despite my highs and lows. And I’m trying to share the same passion for others in my life. If I can be on the other side, I feel I have really honored you. For me, this is the definition of ‘love’
Once you truly want the best for those you care about, you have achieved love. Despite what the world tells you.
AZFAR RIZVI is a New York-based filmmaker and a Hollywood technical consultant for productions involving diversity, Islam and South Asia. He is currently assisting a Fortune 500 navigate through policy and content for India and Pakistan. Twitter: AzfarRizvi
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