Mahatma Gandhi to Gen-Z: Where’s the Love?

Looking at the times of today, people will really make you question, “Where is the love?”

I think that is part of the reason why we suffer in love and life. We have the wrong role models. We look up to celebrity couples and influencers, based on the glamorized versions of their lives online.

Every day on the news, there is war, death, and poverty.  I think Generation Z can benefit from learning from the figures of past times. One of the greatest philosophers that I know of is Mahatma Gandhi. Let me introduce you to him.

A great leader

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian nationalist leader whose real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

He was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar Kathiawar, India. He revered the world over for his non-violent philosophy of passive resistance, hence coining the term “ahimsa.”

I revere a quote from Mahatma Gandhi the most. It goes, “Where there is love, there is life.”

In retrospect, this philosophical quote about love and life really is how Mahatma Gandhi changed violence as a solution.

In understanding Mahatma Gandhi’s statement above, there are two ways in which we can interpret it. For the first meaning, we must first define love.

What is love? Love is an adrenaline rush. It is an exhilarating adventure. It is a mother giving birth. An addictive drug. A reuniting handshake. A terrifying experience and a painful moment. Dancing in the street, a kiss in the rain. A tearful goodbye. A loud fight between two lovers. War coming to an end. Broad and equal implementation of human rights. A girl praying. A twinkling smile and laughter. All of those little things in life are all love.

Everything we do for a living, for life, is love. Mahatma Gandhi exhibited this in his actions, showing his ultimate purpose: to love life and help others love life.

It is one of humankind’s most significant purposes: to love. There is even a saying that goes, “If you have never loved, then you have never lived at all.” In fact, we were literally born because of love, love from our parents and God. Love is indeed life, as everything around us revolves around it.

If you ask the question, which came first, love or life? Of course, we all know about how God’s love was so great that He decided to create life. Hence, we can say that life is the fruit of true love.

Therefore, love is the root and cause of all living matter, physical or not.

For the second meaning, we can certainly infer that Gandhi talked about universal love. Through love for oneself and for others, we can help eliminate the different social issues that prevail in our world today.

Our society has imminent hateful crimes, terrible injustice, abortions, and horrific wars. Moreover, the lack of love and indifference is causing thousands of deaths and violations of human rights.

Mahatma Gandhi was definitely on the right track when he said that where there is love, there is life. Where there is hate and indifference, there is death.

Only love can change these harsh conditions. If love is prominent, then people would always think twice about hurting or killing others. The sanctity of life sides with all the good things like care, unselfishness, concern, and empathy. Indeed, we can never find true life in hatred, jealousy, and all the sins of the world.

Personally, the most outstanding example of how love brings life is how God loved us so much that He gave up His Most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. I’m not a religious person, but I am a VERY spiritual one. I take my personal relationship with God very seriously. Through Him, I experienced the true type of love that gives life to my very bones. But you do you.

Whatever it takes for you to find and grasp love, do it to live. Life is short. We need meaning. Life and love can give you that.

Love begets life, and life begets love. They are a combination, and they are always related. Love and life are united in one essence and spirit. Where there is love, there is undoubtedly life indeed.