The age-old question “What does a woman want?” has been a puzzle that has fascinated and bewildered thinkers, poets, philosophers, and scholars across centuries. Even the great Aristotle, a man of profound intellect, could not provide a definitive answer. Allama Iqbal, the celebrated poet-philosopher of the East, echoed this sentiment when he said:
“Thousands of times sages have solved it,
Still, the problem remains the same.”
For centuries, the complexity of a woman’s desires has been reduced to a “problem” by many intellectuals. But is it truly a problem, or is it simply a misunderstanding? The answer may lie not in the question itself but in how we perceive love, emotions, and relationships between men and women. In this article, we explore the essence of what a woman truly seeks, not through superficial assumptions but through the lens of love, passion, and emotional depth.
Women Are Not a Problem; They Are Love
The common notion that women are a “problem” has been echoed by many poets and intellectuals over the ages. But this view is flawed. A woman is not a problem; she is love itself. She embodies love in its purest and most genuine form, which goes far beyond the physical and material aspects that many have traditionally attributed to her desires. The true essence of what a woman wants can only be understood if we redefine our perception of love.
For many men, love is often associated with the physical—the body, the attraction, and the momentary pleasures. In contrast, a woman’s love is passion—something much deeper than just the body. It transcends the superficial and reaches the core of her soul. For her, love is not merely a physical experience but an emotional and spiritual connection.
The Contrast Between Men’s and Women’s Love
The differences between a man’s love and a woman’s love are stark.
- A man’s love can sometimes be a snare of the flesh, tied to competition and possession. For him, love may be akin to a bridge—something that connects two points but is not the destination itself. He may see love as a conquest, a goal to achieve.
- A woman’s love, on the other hand, is the freedom of the soul. It is humility, a complete surrender of her being to another. For her, love is the entire journey, the whole life, not just a bridge between moments. Her love is real, profound, and grounded in emotional truth.
When men and women experience love differently, their desires naturally diverge. A man may seek the thrill of the chase, the excitement of physical intimacy. But a woman seeks something far deeper. Her love is not bound by the physical. It is a quest for emotional connection, for understanding, and for genuine affection.
A Woman as a Teacher of Love
Throughout history, poets from Shakespeare to Shelley, Homer to the present, have described women as lovers. They have portrayed them as the objects of men’s affections, as beings to be pursued and adored. But the truth is that a woman is not merely a lover. She is the teacher of love. She understands the depths of love in ways that men often overlook.
A woman teaches that love is more than attraction or desire. It is about connection, care, and empathy. She shows that love is not a competition to be won but a life to be shared. Her love is not confined to the boundaries of the body; it exists beyond the physical realm, thriving in the space between hearts.
What Does a Woman Truly Want?
There has long been a misconception that women desire power, fortune, or physical perfection in a partner. Many assume that a woman wants a throne to sit on, luck to favor her, and a strong man by her side. But these assumptions miss the mark entirely.
At the heart of it, a woman wants love. Not just any love, but a love that is tender, warm, and full of care. She longs for affection that transcends the physical and reaches her soul. She does not want love that is contingent on attraction or desire but one that is independent of sex. A woman seeks a love that exists beyond the body—a love that embraces her heart, her spirit, and her essence.
In the often wild and rugged jungle of the male body, a man can seem like a predator, hungry for the physical satisfaction that love can bring. In contrast, a woman’s love is like a delicate butterfly, fluttering gracefully within the soul, thirsty for emotional nourishment. For a man, love may be a hunger, a craving to be satisfied. But for a woman, love is a thirst—a deep, unquenchable longing for true emotional connection.
The Symbolism of a Woman’s Love
The imagery of a woman’s love is as vast and profound as the oceans. A woman’s lips are like a shoreline, a place of beauty where land meets sea, gentle yet powerful. Her existence is an ocean, vast and mysterious, flowing with deep currents of emotion. From her eyes, tears fall like a sea—both salty and beautiful. These tears carry her pain, her confusion, her sorrow, and her joy.
This sea of tears is a testament to her strength. It reflects the complexity of her emotions—the sadness that can sometimes accompany love, and the beauty that pain can reveal. Her tears are not a sign of weakness but a manifestation of the deep love and compassion that flows within her. There is pain in her love, yes, but it is a pain that comes from giving so much of herself.
The Misunderstanding of Women’s Desires
The world has often misunderstood what women truly want. Society has painted women as beings in search of material wealth, physical strength in a partner, or a life of luxury. But these perceptions fail to capture the true essence of a woman’s desires. She does not seek the tangible or the temporary; she seeks the intangible and eternal. She seeks love in its truest form.
For a woman, love is not about power or control. It is not about status or wealth. Love, for her, is about vulnerability, humility, and the sharing of one’s soul. A woman’s love is not a transaction, nor is it a competition. It is a gift, freely given and expecting nothing in return.
Conclusion: A Woman’s Love is a Gift
To truly understand what a woman wants, one must look beyond the surface and see the depth of her heart. Her love is not a problem to be solved, nor is it a mystery to be unraveled. It is a truth, a reality, and a gift that the world often overlooks.
A woman wants love, not just the fleeting kind that comes with attraction or desire, but a love that is enduring, nurturing, and real. She does not need a throne or a crown; she does not need wealth or power. What she truly wants is to be loved for who she is, in all her complexities, vulnerabilities, and strengths.
In a world that often reduces love to mere physicality or materialism, a woman’s love stands as a beacon of emotional depth and spiritual connection. It is a love that heals, nurtures, and empowers. And in the end, that is what a woman truly wants—to love and be loved in the most genuine and profound way possible.
So, the next time someone asks, “What does a woman want?” remember that the answer is simple yet profound: she wants love—a love that transcends the ordinary and touches the soul.