However, to put things in perspective, a barrel of oil holds six gigajoules of potential energy (once combusted). One could certainly make an observation or two here about the worth of a human body versus the worth of a barrel of oil, at least in terms of energy. Similarly, one may pause to consider whom else might have pondered that same comparison while making governing decisions that would effect the lives of many such low output human hearts. However, that goes rather off on a different tangent. The focus here, remains the heart.
To get down to the heart of it, if you'll excuse my overly blatant pun, we're all run by these little beating batteries; steady clocks, thudding away in our chests, keeping time with our lives. What's curious though, is not the form or function of the heart, but the story its been woven into. So inseparable is the heart now from the concept of love that its difficult to trace back to a time when the two were not joined - even ancient Greeks and Egyptians believed that the heart controlled our thoughts and feelings, not the mind. Ironically enough, when it comes to the physical manifestation of the feeling of love, it is in fact the brain that plays a greater role. The production of estrogen, testosterone, dopamine, and serotonin lead from infatuation to comfort, then in time, the brain ups its protein levels and begins to bridge between certain neurons, leaving the memory of what we call love in our very grey matter.
Yet, all science aside, it is the heart that aches when another heart is near. It is the chest that feels empty, when a heart pulls away. And, it is the heart that fills with joy at the smile and touch of someone held dear.
Right now, my heart, is quite full.
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