Leubh-
Desire, Fondness, Romantic Love
(Proto-Indo-European, PIE)
Standard Definition:
A love rooted in desire and longing, from romantic passion to deep affection.
Poetic Meaning:
The fire beneath the skin, the ache behind a smile, the pull toward another that feels like gravity.
Storytelling Etymology:
The PIE root Leubh- is the ancestor of the English word "love," the German Liebe, the Latin libido, and many others. It suggests that romantic and passionate love were among the earliest emotions expressed in language.
Cultural Context & Symbolism:
This love was likely expressed in the first songs, the first poetry, the first gestures of longing across ancient landscapes. It is the love of pursuit, of attraction, of deep emotional bonds.
Poem:
A glance across the fire's glow,
A heart that races, yet does not show.
A pull unseen, yet felt so true,
A love that calls, that pulls me through.
Reflection:
Love has always carried desire within it—whether in longing glances, whispered names, or the quiet ache of missing someone who feels like home.
