Barbara Fredrickson opens by redefining love as recurring micro-moments of genuine positive emotional connection occurring across many relationship types, not limited to romantic partnership alone, presenting this as a significant reconceptualization with genuine research grounding.

Why this reconceptualization matters:

• Conventional understanding often narrowly associates 'love' primarily with romantic partnership, while Fredrickson's research-based reconceptualization identifies these positive connection micro-moments occurring across many relationship types, including brief interactions with strangers
• This broader reconceptualization has significant implications for understanding love's genuine health and wellbeing benefits beyond narrow romantic-relationship contexts alone
• This opening establishes the book's foundational, research-grounded reconceptualization, motivating its subsequent detailed examination

This opening establishes the book's foundational reconceptualization of love as recurring positive-connection micro-moments occurring across diverse relationship types, not limited to romantic partnership.