Love is better, or so they say

Mamiya C-220, 105mm lens, f/16, 1-second exposure with tripod. Washington, Virginia.

This photo was taken on one of my photography expeditions, in the summer of 2004, a few months after I got my BMW R1100S. Washington (don't call it "Little Washington," as many do, or you'll upset the natives) is a small town about 60 or so miles from Washington, D.C.

The building was once the lobby of a small motel that had long been in disuse. Before being abandoned it had apparently done service as a church building, as evidenced by the stacks of old hymnals and chairs stacked inside. Who knows how long it's been since the building was used regularly.

More to the point, what purpose did the "Love is better" sign serve? Better than what? Or is love simply better than anything else?