This Valentine’s Day, let’s contemplate what love truly means, by way of the African proverbs:
Where there is love, there’s no darkness. —Burundi (Love enlightens when it isn’t based on blind faith.)
It’s better to be loved than feared. —Sierra Leone (The Supreme Beloved wants us to love and not fear Him, because it’s hard to develop intimacy and deep friendship when there’s fear.)
The way to the Beloved isn’t thorny. —Cameroon (The path of spiritual love is laden with God’s blessings and protection.)
Love is like a baby—it needs to be treated tenderly. —Congo
People who love one another do not dwell on each other’s mistakes. —Kenya (In love, there’s forgiveness, humility and patience.)
Love doesn’t rely on physical features. —Lesotho (Love is soul to soul; lust is body to body. Love sees the individual soul; lust sees a person’s external form.)
He who loves you, loves you with your dirt. —Uganda (Love doesn’t set conditions.)
One who loves you, warns you. —Uganda (The people who truly love you will tell you the truth.)
Love has to be shown by deed, not by words. —Kiswahili (Love is a mutual exchange of affection shown in practical ways, and manifested through kindness.)