What does love mean?
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds. answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone
could have imagined. See what you think:
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend
over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather
does it for her all the time, even when his hands got
arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca - age 8
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is
different. You know that your name is safe in their
mouth."
Billy - age 4
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most
of your French fries without making them give you any
of
theirs."
Chrissy - age 6
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and
she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure
the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you
get tired of kissing, you still want to be together
and you talk more. My mommy and Daddy are like that.
They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if
you stop opening presents and listen,"
Bobby - age 7
"If you want to learn to love better, you should
start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6
"There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love.
But God makes both kinds of them."
Jenny - age 8
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt,
then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old
man who are still friends even after they know each
other so well."
Tommy - age 6
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I
was scared. I looked at all the people watching me
and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the
only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore,"
Cindy - age 8
"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't
see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6
"Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of
chicken."
Elaine -age 5
"Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty
and still says he is handsomer than Robert
Redford."
Chris - age 7
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even
after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives
me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy
new ones."
Lauren - age 4
"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom
says she only picks on me because she loves me.
So I pick on my baby sister because I love her."
Bethany - age 4
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up
and down and little stars come out of you."
Karen - age 7
"Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet
and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless
you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say
it a lot. People forget,"
Jessica - age 8
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked
about a contest he was asked to judge. The
purpose of the contest was to find the most
caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next
door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had
recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry,
the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard,
climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his mother asked him what he had said to the
neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just
helped him cry."
Top of Page
Back to Valentine's Day