This quote by C. S. Lewis suggests that love is a much stronger and grander emotion than simple kindness. Kindness, while valuable and important, can often be extended to anyone, even strangers, without requiring a deep emotional connection or commitment. Love on the other hand, goes beyond simple acts of kindness; it is stern because it often requires sacrifice, discipline and the willingness to make hard decisions for the good of the loved one.
Love is also described as ‘splendid’ which signifies its grandeur and majesty. It’s an emotion that can inspire great acts of courage and selflessness that go beyond what mere kindness would demand.
In today’s world or in personal development terms, this idea could be applied in several ways. For instance, people often confuse being kind with truly loving someone – whether it’s in friendships or romantic relationships. This quote serves as a reminder that love demands more than just being nice; it requires commitment and sometimes making tough decisions for the betterment of those we care about.
Moreover, from a personal development perspective this could mean pushing oneself out of their comfort zone for growth – not just doing what’s easy or comfortable (kindness), but taking up challenges (love) because they know it will lead to growth – both personally and professionally.
while kindness may be easier to give freely without much thought or effort involved on our part; love demands more from us – more understanding, patience and resilience which makes it stern but also splendid due its ability to bring out our best qualities when we express true love towards others.