Let me take you on a gentle journey through the ages, where love is not just a feeling, but a universal language spoken by every heart. Imagine, for a moment, ancient Sumerian poets inscribing their longing on clay, Indian gods entwined in cosmic romance, and star-crossed lovers in Arabia and China whose stories have echoed for thousands of years. Across the expanse of history and geography, love has always found a way to express itself—sometimes in whispered poetry, sometimes in wild dances, sometimes in silent tears.
Anthropologists have scoured the globe, from the icy tundras of Siberia to the lush Amazon, and discovered that nearly every culture sings love’s song. In 147 out of 166 cultures surveyed, romantic love was found to be as common as the stars above. In the remaining societies, the absence wasn’t a lack of love, but perhaps a lack of observation.
In every society, people perform rituals to attract love—whether it’s a love charm in a remote village or a love song played on city streets. Love is celebrated, mourned, and yearned for, regardless of language, custom, or creed. Even where people have no written language, they carve love into their stories, their songs, and their everyday lives.
What makes this even more remarkable is how similar the experience is. The fire of first love, the ache of longing, the joy of union, and the sorrow of loss—these are feelings that unite us all. Love is the thread that binds humanity together, weaving through every culture, every age, every heart.
As we move forward, keep in mind that whether you are reading an ancient poem or listening to a modern love song, you are tapping into a force as old as time. Now, let’s explore what happens inside us when we fall under love’s spell.
