“LOVE IS MANY A SPLENDOR THING”

The world’s greatest philosophers, poets, logicians, and theorist have been trying for centuries to answer the age old question, what is love? Love has a vast number of meanings, which may vary drastically from person to person. Although anyone can give an opinion, a person will never truly understand true love unless the experience it.

            What is love? Is it a four letter word that causes a person to act out of character? A choice one makes to put their partners wishes and needs above all else. Maybe it’s that special friendship that turns into a life-long commitment. Or is love when you and that person you can’t live without vow to spend the rest of your lives honoring and protecting each other, adoring one another “till death do you part”? All of this might be true, but according to Webster’s New World Dictionary love by definition can be a deep tender feeling of affection for or attachment or devotion to a person. It can be the strong liking for or interest in something. Love is even defined as being God’s tender regard and concern for mankind. I think when summed up love by definition means a strong feeling of affection/passion for someone or something. But can love truly be so simple and surface? Yeah, I don’t think so. Not with the emotions that are brought forth when the word love is said. There is no way that such a profound word can be summarized in a derisory ten word definition.

            Everyone knows that there are different ‘levels’ of love. For example the love of your dog- Fido- differs from that of your grandmother-Miu miu- and the love of your grandmother is different than that of your partner- Tony. Now if you love Miu miu the same way you love Tony and you love Tony the same way you love Fido, then quite frankly you have issues. Another point I would like to make is that loving a person is very different from being in love with them. For instance when you say “I love you” to your mom before you go to bed or to your dad when he goes to work in the morning or even on a phone call to your brother who’s on tour in Iraq, you are saying it from a sense of familiarity. You have known this person all your life and all you know how to do is love them. This love is not something that gradually grew but a feeling that you have always had and one that is branded on your heart and in your mind. Like, when a person asks “do you love your mom?” the person who has always had a normal relationship with their mother will almost automatically say yes. It’s almost compulsory to feel this way. On the other hand when you say “I love you” to your mate, if it is truly sincere love, then it is coming from a place that is almost unknown. When you say those three magical words to that special someone you feel a new feeling, one that you have never experienced before. It’s invigorating and terrifying, blissful and nerve-racking all at the same time. You can’t describe it despite your greatest efforts, but you know that it’s right, you don’t know how you know but you know.

            There are three types of love: Eros, Philos, and Agape. Eros is known as erotic love, usually shared between intimate partners. Philos is acknowledged as the love amid friends or within your family. And lastly, there is Agape love. Agape is the unconditional love for another. Agape is completely selfless and unadulterated; it is when one gives out all the love that can be given without concern if it will ever be returned. An example of Agape is said to be the love of God; the way God loves us-his children- no matter what.

             I can give you millions of definitions, facts, opinions, and statistics on the subject of love. I can tell you what some of the world’s best theorist have theorized and philosophers have philosophized. I can read you countless articles and books on the extensive theme of love. And I can load you with knowledge incomparable, but in the end the question still stands, what is love? As far as I’m concerned love is what you make it, so make the most of it. 

Spicy food v. Sweet Food

Spicy: 

Every now and again most of us like a little spice in our life. Whether it may be spicy Mexican food or simple cinnamon gum. Whatever it may be spicy foods can be very beneficial towards us, but they can have a negative effect also.

Pros:

-Keeps you from getting nauseous

-Clears your nasal way 

-Fills you up faster so you can eat less

Cons:

-Usually spicy foods are high in salt content

-Can cause internal damage if consumed to often

-If to spicy the flavor can be lost in the heat

Spicy foods can work as a natural antacid and decongestant, but as you can see they have there major faults at times.

Sweet Foods:

Foods that are sweet, well let's face it, usually taste really good. I know almost everyone is a sucker for at least one sweet thing. I myself can have a terrible sweet tooth.

Pros: 

-Curb major cravings

-Energy rush

-Taste really good

Sweet foods all around basically taste really good. From decedant and fancy desserts to plain ol' lollipops, everyone has their favorite sweet treat.

Cons:

-To much sugar can lead to serious health risks

-Crash and burn after energy rush

-When something is too sweet it no longer tastes good, but instead overwhelming

When too much sugar is consumed you risk major infractions like a breakout or a cavity to huge health problems like high blood sugar or obesity.

So whatever you choose as your favorite just remember to weigh the good and the bad, and always eat in moderation.

 

Homeschooling v. Public Schools

Homeschooling:

One startling statistic is that more and more people are choosing homeschool. In fact the number of homeschoolers is now in the millions. Consider the following pros and cons in making your choice.
Pros of Home School

• Free to choose curriculum
• Free to choose schedule
• Small teacher to student ratio
• Teaches students to be independent in their learning choices

Cons of Home School

• Usually more expensive than public school
• Teachers are not always qualified to teach all subjects
• It’s harder to provide social interaction
• Colleges sometimes have stricter admission policies concerning homeschooled students.

A con or a pro, depending on how you look at it is that children and parents are in the same vicinity for days at a time. Some parents cherish that time with their children and some parents are driven crazy if their kids are not out of the house. Again, going back to the first considerations, you must analyze yours and your children’s needs.

Public Schools:
Public schools have varying degrees of educational prowess and resources. A good step is to check out local and state statistics concerning the level of education in your area schools. These can be found online or by contacting the district offices. Once you have a cursory knowledge of the school’s educational aims, you should consider the following pros and cons.
Pros of Public School:

• Learning within a group setting
• Extra-curricular activity availability
• More curriculum opportunities
• Diverse social education

Cons of Public School:

• High student-teacher ratio
• Less independence (scheduled learning)
• School chooses curriculum
• Peers based on area instead of choice

With a myriad of statistics online promoting both public school and home school, it is easy to get confused as to which is best. Another good resource is neighbors who have been in the area for a long time. Discuss your concerns over the educational opportunities in your area with people who have experienced it.
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