Love

Comic artist Bo Burnham said in a song that, "Love is your favorite food for every breakfast, lunch, and dinner". He was talking about romantic love; I am going to include all forms of love in that statement. Mr. Burnham meant that statement as a joke, but I think he was right on the money.

Think of the food that you absolutely love. This is the food that you sneak out of bed in the middle of the night to snack on. This is what you treat yourself to for breakfast as a reward. A special dinner for your birthday. People make this when they know you are coming over for a visit.

Now imagine having this food for every meal. Your entire menu is just this food. It wouldn't be your favorite for long would it? Maybe for a week you would just love, love, love it. After a few weeks it might still be good, but not what your favorite should feel like. Then after a month or two, you tolerate it. Finally, well within a year you may come to loathe this "favorite food".

But wait - when it isn't your favorite anymore that means your favorite changed. Hmmm.......

Even without this experiment your favorites change. Just like your loved ones change. Let's talk about children. You don't stop loving your children, but as they change you love the new people that they are. You don't get tired of your children and stop loving them. (I know we all get tired when parenting, but it doesn't mean we are tired of our kids.)

The same thing applies to our spouses, life-partners, siblings, and friends. No one is exactly the same as they were 5 years ago. One year ago? Nope, not the same. 6 months ago? Sorry, still different. People will change constantly. Some changes are small and some greater, but everyone changes.

So, thank you Mr. Bo Burnham. I think I will be ordering that favorite for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of my existence.