A kiss on the cheek.

Love is a splendid thing.

At first sight of this phrase I would think that many people immediately think of a pitter patter feeling of the heart, and while romance is important in the proper time, it is certainly not the end of love as a whole. Without the supporting pieces of care, patience, and selflessness, among many other attributes -- romantic love is by itself warped.

Love has lost its perfection, and though today's tainted understanding of love is surely a global travesty, I myself can only speak on what I have witnessed in my own culture; for whatever that is worth.

In America, I see love as an advertisement. So many are sold on the idea that if you have this car, women will flock to you; or if you wear this perfume, men will notice you. To many, this recognition is of the greatest importance and is even reason enough to take a relationship to a further level. Yet it is all about image -- a surface-level, lust like relationship. The desire to want and to be wanted seem to vie for the sole criteria in a search for love.

May it be clear that in no way do I condemn the possession of nice things, for I myself enjoy fashion and style, but I am merely saying that the truth of love is not found in tawdry displays of extravagance. I doubt that love can ever stem from the surface. Its roots are in the heart but also in the conscious and truthful effort of the mind.

While traveling, and now in the time of writing this, I still see a distortion of love, yet in the past few days I have been blessed with pictures of a love that cares just for the sake of caring. A love that does not expect anything in return. I have seen this in Pastor Atu, a Fijian living in Auckland who without hesitation told me to call him and stay with his family when I return from Paihia. I have experienced this love from a group of travelers from Canada, Brazil, and England who invited me to spend the evening with them. And of course, I have experienced this love in my meetings with a girl from Argentina named Macarena, who sat with me on the beach for hours and taught me the custom of greeting and parting with a kiss on the cheek. Joy filled my body when I experienced this open way of showing care, and obviously so, the title of this blog is dedicated to the beauty of this custom. Thank you Macarena.

It is in an experience like this, that I see how love in simple ways is felt across cultures. A love that simply cares with nothing expected in return. What a beautiful thing.