There I was, lying in my bed, scrolling on my phone. Like the millions of others with sleep deprivation. I was wondering about the greatest unanswered question.

My results were as expected. From infinite frontiers to endless space, I darted across the dozens of questions involving complex theories and outlandish hypotheses.

Then I asked myself a simpler question. What if we do not have to go to the stars for the greatest question? What if we simply looked around?

In fiction, what is every great villain’s motivation? Love. Darth Vader loved his wife to the point where he would sacrifice everything and everyone for her. The Joker is driven by his love for Batman.

Love is not an emotion, it’s not a feeling. Love can cause people to change drastically. Love can cause people to act irrationally. What is love?

That’s our question. What Is Love?

Why does love beat us down, tear us up, and then have us crawling back for more? Why does love blind us and hurt us? Why does love cause us to act outside of our beliefs and morals? What Is Love?

Love is not an extreme attraction. Love is extraordinary, love is outrageous, love is… different.

Why is love the route of all of our problems? Why are every person’s parental issues an issue with love? Why are every person’s relationship issues an issue about love? Why is every person’s political issue an issue about love?

Racial groups do not love other groups. Leaders do not love their citizens. A neighbor does not love another neighbor. Every problem has a route. Love.

Why is love universal?

Dark matter is this universal covering darkness that is believed to be everywhere all at once. What if it is love? Not literally, but figuratively. What if love is everywhere all at once?

Every religion, every faith, every belief is based on love. Hate groups, based on bigotry and ignorance, operate based on love. Love for others of the same kind or type.

What is love? I am not quite sure there is an answer. However, Potter Stewart once said (regarding obscenity, yes I know, very much off topic), “I know it when I see it.” I see it all over. It surrounds us, binds us, and makes us human.