“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”–Eden Ahbez

Love. Whether we want to admit it or not, it is one of the all powerful forces that drives and motivates our existence. Beginning with the love we exchange with our parents or guardians, we transcend that bond to love family and friends, and eventually we begin seeking a partner with whom we can share our hearts. In some cases, the cycle begins again when two partners bring a child into the world, and begin teaching that child how to be loved so they may enter life understanding the importance of giving love themselves.

Psychological and scientific studies show that isolation and lack of companionship, be it from other humans or even pets, can physically harm the body and the mind. These studies show that people who are more connected through loving family and relationships have lower blood pressure, lower stress-hormone levels, blood vessels are more elastic and the heart responds better to physical demands.

Oxytocin, often referred to as the love hormone, is released when a woman goes into labor, and is believed to be one of the major factors in bonding with one’s newborn child. Also known as the “cuddle chemical,” both men and women release oxytocin into the blood stream during sex, strengthening their emotional bond.

Is it a coincidence then that the release of oxytocin is absorbed by receptors in the heart which improve your overall heart health, or that love itself is often affiliated with “matters of the heart?”

I don’t know about you, but I love love. I love giving love, receiving love, being in love, and the fact that my heart is both full and fully functioning when I’m experiencing love is a beautiful thing.

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