"To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead"

This quote by Bertrand Russell talks to the concept that those who are afraid of love are also afraid of life. To be afraid of love is to be scared of the unidentified, of taking dangers, and of being vulnerable. It is to be afraid of the potential for pain and disappointment that comes with loving someone. Those who are afraid of life are afraid of taking threats, of trying new things, and of being open to new experiences. They are stuck in a state of stagnancy, unable to progress and grow. They are, in a sense, currently dead, as they are not living life to its maximum potential. To really live, one need to want to take risks, to enjoy, and to experience life in all its beauty and complexity.