What is love?
Responses to the question
"What does 'love' mean?"
from 4-to-8-year-olds
"Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way." Charlie, age 5
"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 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 5
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate." Nikka, age 6
"Love is hugging. Love is kissing. Love is saying no". Patty, age 8
"There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But God makes both kinds of them." Jenny, age 8
"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 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 5
"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 5
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen, age 7
"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