Why is life too short not to be in love?

[Answered on Quora.com by Maqbool Ahmed Dhawla - lightly edited by Anna]

The structure of the sentence is not becoming. It may have been, “ Why is life too short to fall in love?” The word, “ not” after “ too” is unwarranted. It has made this sentence almost meaningless.

Yes, life is too short to fall in love with anyone. You need a longer life - or at least you desire a longer span, larger than life, for this sweet task.

But you won’t agree with it. [An]other implication: you may mean that life is too short and can’t be wasted upon such a frivolous thing like love. The use of word “not” suggests you wanted to convey this sense.

At the end, we have discovered what exactly you want to convey. Probably, you want to say that human life is too short to indulge in love affair[s], because we have other important tasks ahead.

For example, If there is an issue of very survival, you will have to earn your bread first instead of infesting [investing?!] your mind with [a] love affair. If you are put in jail by authorities for a criminal case, you think about how to get rid of that, instead of falling in love with a pretty girl. If you are suffering from a painful disease, [the] cure is your love, not a fiancée. A hungry man will say two plus two make four breads. This is also called love of need. You love what is directly needed by you. You love food when you are hungry. You love drinks when you are thirsty. You love relief when you feel pains. You love honour when put into insult. You love peace when put into danger. Love is not restricted to countable situations. It has countless and immeasurable manifestations.

You love your self.
You love your family.
You love your profession.
You love your country.
You love humanity.
You love the creator of the universe.
You love [your?] religion.
You love your ideology.

Love is a feeling.
Sexual love is a kind of love.
Love has countless manifestations.
Life is love.
Love is life.
The whole universe is bound in love.
Galaxies are moving around in love.
The structure of atoms is based on love.
Love is energy.
Love is gravitation.
Our existence is the result of Allah’s love.
The whole universe is created in love.

Love is life and construction; hatred is death and destruction.

Therefore, it is totally wrong to say that life is too short to fall in love with anyone. Life is not separable from love. Love is not only for falling in love with the opposite sex. Sexual love, as I mentioned, is one manifestation of love. It is also very much cherished and required in human life. Nature has created a great attraction for opposites. Human love for humans is the most enjoyable feeling. This is a sacred feeling. It makes life more meaningful. You sacrifice your peace, wealth, time and priorities for another human being. You expound your views and feelings, infusing self-destruction, to find a new dimension in life, and a new energy. You convey your love with gestures, words and sometimes by silence [and via smiles and other good intentions! - Anna]. This provides your mind and heart with most divergent, colourful, deep and energetic experiences. Your warmth, vigour, vitality, cheerfulness and pleasantries increase manifold.

Really, life is too short over the planet to enjoy love. It is an eternal feeling and needs eternal life. Life in paradise is nothing but a manifestation of love.

Hope this will suffice.