Those weaker relationships are being reflected in the lives of people. The social fabric that holds us in place is now frayed and unraveling and full of holes. Where lust is episodic, we have a relationship with this person and that person, in love you have an ongoing relationship. When a family loves each other, they might be separated by miles, or have arguments, or get angry with each other, but they still love each other, and they still come together periodically for holidays and reunions, and they still care about each other. Fairlie says there is another quality about love.
Love requires involvement.
All of us need moments of solitude, but none of us needs a life of isolation. So often people today live lives of isolation. What we need are others to be involved in our lives. We need a circle of people around us, family, friends, neighbors, colleagues at work, who are all involved in our lives, who know us, and know about us, and care about us, and seek our well being. Friends, our children need it most of all.