March 10, 2003 | 1:32 PM

So the last few days, as part of the process of building my character for Cabaret, I�ve been thinking a lot about love.

Now, I wanna say that I think Love is an energy force�that it is in fact, the energy force that permeates every living thing.

However, it is also an emotion, like any other emotion�anger, fear, joy, lust. Why is that we prescribe to love the quality of immortality�we like to think of it as being invincible, god like. That it cannot be destroyed.

And that I think, is true�love, like any other energy source (i.e. electricity) cannot be destroyed. However, the means by which it is transmitted, the connecting force between one person and another, most definitely can be obliterated. The energy goes somewhere else. So in effect love between people can most definitely disappear.

We see love as so wonderful and sacred, so rare, that we assume its qualities are innate and do not need constant maintenance or refurbishment. It�s all well and good to say I love you, but if I don�t spend time with you, if I don�t make an effort, if I deceive you or hound you or hurt you, then I am bit by bit chipping away at the cord between us through which love travels. Until finally, that cord will rip apart. And the love we shared together can no longer be transmitted.

Love must be cared for. It takes time and effort. It takes upkeep and honesty and understanding and courage. This is something I only recently realized. I found out the hard way. But in a sense, this is a beautiful discovery. It makes love all the more sacred. Love cannot be taken for granted. Like a rose it must be watered and the weeds which might choke it uprooted. We can�t assume that is will always be there for us, that it can be ignored and returned to, that we can pull out the petals or forget to rip up the crab grass surrounding it, and still love will be shining like some beautiful beacon, as fresh and strong as always.

In a sense, love is eternal. But in a more immediate physical sense, it is not. Just as in a manner of speaking, we as human beings�who we are and the lives we create, are eternal. But in a more concrete sense, we all expire eventually and for all practical purposes cease to exist.

Such is love ladies and gentlemen. Such is love.