"After the verb 'to Love,' 'to Help' is the most beautiful verb in the world"

Bertha von Suttner’s words, “After the verb ‘to Love,’ ‘to Help’ is the most beautiful verb in the world,” express a profound recognition of the intrinsic values that elevate humanity. To love is often held as the highest calling; it is the axis upon which relationships pivot, the force that motivates selflessness, kindness, and connection. Yet, Suttner names “to help” as a verb rivaling “to love” in its beauty, highlighting the tangible ways in which love manifests in action.

Helping is a practical demonstration of compassion, an outward motion arising from the inward feeling of love. While love can be private, silent, and internal, help requires engagement; it is love set into motion, a bridge from sentiment to service. Helping asks us to step outside our own lives and participate in the lives of others, requiring empathy, humility, and generosity. This shifts the moral significance from mere feeling to active participation in easing the burdens, pain, or struggles of others.

Suttner’s insight resonates particularly in a world often focused on individual achievement and self-interest. By elevating helping to the highest ranks of beauty, just after loving, she encourages a redefinition of what is truly admirable in human behavior. The act of helping, even if small, transforms communities and individuals. It fosters trust, breaks barriers of isolation, and builds a web of interconnectedness that is essential for a humane society.

Furthermore, Suttner’s words serve as a gentle reminder that beauty is not solely aesthetic, but is also found in deeds that nurture, protect, and uplift. To help is to contribute to a cycle of goodwill; it begets kindness, touches lives beyond one’s own, and grants purpose both to the giver and receiver. In this sense, helping is love’s most eloquent expression, embodying the values that make life meaningful and dignified.