Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and love is in the air.

What is Love?

The word love has so many variations- 28 according to Dictionary.com

Do you love your family the same way as your favorite alcohol?

Do you love a TV the same way as your significant other? You can substitute “significant other” with crush, lust, person you are stalking, some celebrity.

I’m willing to wager you don’t love everything in quite the same light.

So this poses the question: what is love?

Love has unwillingly become an empty word, because we have literally beaten the word, and meaning, to the ground.

If we have a slight inkling about some material object -alcohol, or our favorite outfit- we instantly fall in love with the object.

I’m not stepping on the metaphorical soapbox, I do it too.

We don’t actually love the object, but we thoroughly enjoy it. If we actually loved the object we would fornicate with it, care for it tenderly, care for it like our parents, and use it as a score for tennis.

Love is supposed to be a connection, admiration, of someone. Gender shouldn’t matter, but it does for some.

I’m not insinuating you should reconsider your present love with your partner, but reconsider when you use the word love with material items. Material items are temporary, no matter what they are made of.

What about using the word goober? Goober has a nice ring and no one uses it.

“I goober your shirt!”

“I totally goober this song!”

You can’t love a song, but now you can totally goober it!

If you replace love for goober just for one week, you will see how much you actually overuse the word love.

I’m not saying we should stop using the word love completely, but there are situations where it can be used, and where it’s unnecessary.

If you are in a social situation and aren’t sure if you should use the word, think

W.C.S.L.?

Would Cupid Say Love?

Cupid was the god of love, so he gets to decide when the word should be used. If you don’t think Cupid would say love in that circumstance, try goober or another word. Don’t worry; the bracelets will be out soon in all colors.

You could try to pray to Cupid for help, but I bet you only have a split second to decide.

You may be reading this article and say,

“But Clint, the music industry uses the word in abundance.”

I would say you should never do what the music industry instructs. How will the industry possibly know what you do and think?

As you are out and about this weekend I’m sure you will be thinking about what you say. Think about using alternative words this weekend instead of love, unless you are talking about a significant person, or the new episode of “Family Guy.” If you are talking about the show, it’s totally ok to talk about the show, because it loves back!