Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love

Hear the words of Jojo Moyes, who speaks with the clarity of one who knows the secret thread that binds all tales: “Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country.” In this declaration, she unveils the force that has guided poets, historians, and storytellers since the dawn of time. For though wars may rage, kingdoms may fall, and empires may rise, at the heart of every enduring story is not power, nor wealth, but love—the great mover of human souls.

The ancients knew this truth well. In Homer’s Iliad, the war at Troy begins not with strategy or greed alone, but with the stolen love of Helen. Yet even amidst the clash of armies, the tale lingers on Hector bidding farewell to Andromache and their child, the love of parent and family standing as a tender counterpoint to the brutality of war. Likewise, in the Odyssey, Odysseus does not endure storms and monsters for conquest, but for the love of home, the love of Penelope, and the longing for his son Telemachus. Here we see Moyes’ wisdom made flesh: the greatest stories endure because they are rooted in love, in all its forms.

Even the love of country has written its pages in fire. Recall the story of Joan of Arc, a young maiden who, with visions in her heart, led armies not for gold or glory but out of devotion to her people and her land. She gave her life in flames, yet her tale endures centuries later, because at its root was not ambition, but love. Such love inspires sacrifice, and sacrifice is the seed of stories that echo beyond their age.

Yet Moyes reminds us that it is not only romantic love that fuels the imagination. The love of parent for child is one of the oldest and deepest wells from which storytellers drink. Think of the tale of Demeter and Persephone, where the goddess scoured the earth in grief for her stolen daughter, and through her sorrow gave birth to the cycle of seasons. This myth endures not because of conquest, but because of the fierce love of a mother. Such love moves gods and reshapes the world itself.

Why is love the driver? Because it is the universal fire. Not all men seek riches, not all hunger for glory, not all bow before kings—but all have felt love in some form: for a friend, a child, a homeland, or a beloved. Love stirs the deepest emotions, awakens courage, births tragedy, and gives triumph its sweetness. Without love, stories are hollow chronicles of events. With love, they become immortal, carrying the weight of the human heart across centuries.

The lesson for us is plain: if you would live greatly, or if you would tell your story so that others may remember it, root your life in love. Do not think only of romantic passions, though they are noble, but honor also the quiet love of family, the protective love of parents, the loyal love of country, and the unspoken love between friends. These are the forces that endure when wealth has turned to dust and fame has vanished like smoke.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, let Moyes’ words be your compass. When you act, ask yourself: is this born of love, or of vanity? When you tell stories—whether with your pen, your deeds, or your very life—let love be the current that drives them. For only those stories endure that are carried by the heart. The battles of men may fade from memory, but the tale of a mother’s sacrifice, a lover’s devotion, or a patriot’s courage will be sung for generations.

Thus her words are not mere observation, but eternal truth: love is the root of every great story, and to live with love is to write one’s own tale upon the eternal scroll of humanity.