A definition of Love

I'm just curious as to how any of you define Love.

well how do YOU define it.

Love means never having to say your sorry.


(never bought that line as a young woman certainly don't buy it now)


Love means a lot of things. Mom love means giving up stuff so kiddo can have what he/she wants or needs.

Love of your partner means putting up with stuff from them that would make you kill a different person.

When I love someone I want them to be happy. I think about them being happy and I get happy when I know they are happy and even happier when I Know I am the reason they are happy.

Love means you notice the stretch marks, the zits, the bad things and for me, it makes me love the person all the more. Love means realizing that being imperfect is what makes them perfect to and for me.

Well, I define it rather simply.

Love is the desire to raise that which is loved above and beyond all else. To brush aside all things that may hamper one from that which is loved. Love is the apex.

But, I'm more interrested in hearing other people view/definitions of it.

the word LOVE is a VERY missused word,if that were not so,how come people who are SOOOO madly in love in the begining of a relationship,can wind up hateing eachother,or someone will tell someone they love them and the other person will beleive it,only to find out thats not what the person is saying behind your back,or someone that "loves" you may treat you really bad.....those people don't know what real love is...sometimes they just don't wan't to be alone,want to get laid,or just hear what they want to hear,and so they beleive it is "love"...

I'm not sure what love is...I only know what it really feels like:)

and that it can withstand the test of time.you'll know it when you really feel it....it kinda feels easy,if that makes any sense.

Love; an incredible weakness and an incredible strength.

The greatest enigma of the Human race. Capable of fueling acts of incredible beauty and incredible savagery.

Love is, at it's barest form, absolute and unconditional acceptance.

Love is not raising the object of your love above all else, or blocking all else from view. That will eventually crumble and fall, and you'll be left with dust running through your hands.

Place a person on a pedestal, and one day that pedestal will fall.

Love is not unquestioning. Unquestioning devotion is a perversion of Love. It can lead to unethical acts, barbaric acts, in the name of 'Love.'

Love survives being angry with someone, therefore it is not the act of putting them above everything else.
Love can survive tragedy, therefore it is not necessary to be sheltered.

What Love is, is the ability to accept the parts of a person that do not go along with your own personal perfection, and understand that perfection is ephemeral and unattainable.

Love is knowing that you can get upset with someone, and disagree with someone, and still find with them that part which makes you feel... whole.

It is not an 'apex', but rather a balancing point.

There are many definitions for the word "Love".

One I like to stick to is, "When another person's needs become more important than your own."

joe

I don't buy that shit either. You can love someone very deeply, and not know that one single thing that will hurt them beyond belief. According to the logic, that would mean you wouldn't have to say sorry? Sounds a little fuzzy to me. Anywho. . on to my answer.

Love is a many splended thing. Love, like many emotions cannot truely be defined; it can mean several different things, but there is no universal definition. I think our little Angel said it best up there, but that might just be because I agree with him.

Love has several degrees. I agree with the definition of parental love stated above. Then there is the friendship love where you feel a strong attachment for a person and hold them in very high regard over friends.

To me, when you love someone you will do what ever you feel needs to be done to provide for that person. When you're in love, the first person you think about when making plans is the one you're with; putting them first depending on the circumstances. Love is the culmination of many different physical and emotional things that come together into a single package.

Unfortunatly, I do not have the words within me to adiquatly describe what love is for me. I could sit here and form similes until i'm blue in the face and you're green in the face, but that would get us no where.

All I know is that you'll recognize love when you feel it, no sooner or no later.

Steve

Love is not the apex. That which is loved is the apex. By my definition.

NOTE: This is not thread for anybody to start *****ing about other peoples definitions. Just state yours.

Ahh, forgive me for not understanding your rules and forgetting to make sure to assume nobody had posted before me (laughs)

Part of my definition required that addendum, and I just used a previously stated example to clarify.

In other words; dont get your knickers in a twist 'cause someone doesnt agree with you, and their definition goes against yours.

Ditto, Halo-Eight, on your first post! I've been touched by an angel! :) It's always a pleasure to read someone so articulate and well-versed.

I have an unfair advantage, however, being a writer... (laughs)

Addendum: Something added or to be added, esp. a supplement to a book.
- Americican Heritage dictionary

"It is not an 'apex', but rather a balancing point"

this is not an additional point but a contradicting one. The inclusion of any aspect of my definition is not needed for the purpose of your definition. I'm not going to argue your definition, it is fine in that it works for you. No need for anyone to "get your knickers in a twist". Lot's of people here have already stated their definitions that are not in agreement with mine.

Besides, my comment was directed more at "Tall Guy" for saying..

"I don't buy that shit either" using the word shit towards someone elses view of love is nothing more than arguementative. I'm not trying to start an argument, just to keep people civil.

. . . oh, here we go again. . . ugh. . .

I'm trying REAL hard to be the better man here, but I'm at a disadvantage. Not being a writer.

screw it
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote for anything except money."
-Johnson

Whoever that 'Johnson' was, I'd doubt he was a writer...

There are some who are concerned with only money, but they tend to fade into obscurity fairly quickly...

There are some who are concerned with only their love for their work--they are either EXTREMELY successful, or, more likely, end up on the streets, as it were...

Then there are the 'realists', who love what they do, but know they also have to 'pay the bills'. It's like any other job. There are people who are talented at it who can make a great living doing it. They love their writing, and love what they create, and recognize that to survive in this world, they need money in return for it. Like any other service.

You can not, in any honesty, say people like Heinlein, Tolkein, Asimov, and any of the others that are so fondly remembered, wrote only for the love of money (laughs)

(I speak of science fiction and fantasy predominantly, as that's my favored genre, and the one I write in)

Hell if I know.

Ditto Halo.
Ditto Naf.

I sure as hell haven't figured it out. It grows though. And it turns and twists. I really bought Naf's stuff about people being madly in love and then hating the other person later. It wasn't love, was it?

I think real love is within. And it is the ability to accept love. Once you can accept love and that has to start with feeling we are worthy of love, then we can give love.

I love Greg. And there are things I don't like about him.

Three years ago I wasn't capable of receiving love. So even though I had loved before Greg, I wouldn't allow myself the joy of receiving love. I let some good ones get away.... like the engineer in his masters at Stanford.... dang. I wonder if I'd be rich today with four kids all finished with college, kids of their own, hell I'd be a grandma. Ooops, just day dreaming.

This is a good thread. I love to love now. I do have to work on receiving and trusting love though. Poop.

Cindy

Not a writer but his is considered, "by common consent", to be the greatest biography in English history written by James Boswell in "The Life of Johnson". But not science fiction, so. As far as that goes I'm more of a Spider Robinson kind of guy.

As for why writers write, well they write because of various reasons. The ones I like did it because it was their first and only love. Now writers publish for completely different reasons than they write.

I just copied these from a little book the other day:

" Love is having someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you today just the way you are."

"All hear what you say. Friends listen. Lovers know."

"Love that has not strong friendship for its' base is like a mansion built upon the sand."

"To love is to be vulnerable" CS Lewis

"Do not enter love with any great expectations except the expectation of what you intend to give."

Yep, pretty much sums it up for me :D

Love is a much used and abused word with so many meanings ........ and this is only my take on it


Love is such a hard word for me to deal with, I read all the wonderful definitions of it and yet I still cannot get away from the definitions I learnt as a child an during my first marriage .....

My step-father abusing me as a small child was defined as love......... when I told my mother what was happening to me her reply was "It is his way of showing that he loves you"

My 1st Husband told me that he loved me as he was hitting me, he even told me he loved me the night he hospitalized me an nearly blinded me.......

So for me the word 'love' is a 2 edged sword :( Personally I tend to shy away from using it, especially pertaining to guys, I prefer 'Adore' and 'Care deeply' ......... I always told my ex B/F ...... "You walk in the very centre of my soul"

Just so there isn't any confusion. . I wasn't refering to your definition of love, nor was I attempting to knock anyone's definition down a peg. If you notice, the title of my post was "Nessa. . .". I was attempting to refer to the first thing that she said "Love means never having to say your sorry". She followed up shortly thereafter with "(never bought that line as a young woman certainly don't buy it now)"

Sorry Nessa my dear for putting you on the spot here, I was just trying to clear up any unnessessary BS araising from what I put :D


Steve

Inever said it was about me.

Shewolf, those jackasses wouldn't know "love" if it bit them in the ***! Men like that deserve to be tortured and brutalized, so they can finally realize what it is they have caused others.

You are a sweet gal, and the right man, a man who knows what love is and finds it with you, could make you believe in the word "love" again. The last thing he'd ever do is hurt you. He'd want to hurt himself before ever letting any hurt come to you. He'd treasure you every day, and make sure you didn't have to deal with any hardships that he could possibly take on his shoulders. He'd make birthdays and anniversaries special (and even REMEMBER them). :) He'd kiss your tears away and hold you tight, until you were completely engulfed in his love, safe, warm, and happy.

Is he out there? You bet! Be ready to recognize him and open up your wounded heart. He'll treat it very carefully.

P.S. Not to say anything against your mother, but it was her job to protect you and she didn't do it. Life isn't fair, and bad things happen to everyone, but no child should have to endure that! You can forgive your mother her shortcomings, but you sure don't have to forget it! At the very least, she owes you an apology. You deserve that. The monster owes you one too, but it's doubtful he'd ever give it. Karma will get him in the end.

Originally posted by Shewolf
"You walk in the very centre of my soul"

This is going to be in my mind forever, Leigh. It's exactly my definition of love, now translated into English!

You are this wonderful, sensitive person I've met, also because of what you endured. Nobody better than you to understand some of the biggest pains one woman can carry inside her. You went through two of the greatest betrayals and humiliations.

But now, look at you, you shine, and your soul shines. I am sure you are walking in the center of many souls! http://216.40.249.192/s/otn/ez/ezpi_heartbeating.gif

There is only one happiness in life,
to love and be loved.


also;

Love is a never-ending feeling.

Originally posted by Tall Guy
Just so there isn't any confusion. . I wasn't refering to your definition of love, nor was I attempting to knock anyone's definition down a peg. If you notice, the title of my post was "Nessa. . .". I was attempting to refer to the first thing that she said "Love means never having to say your sorry". She followed up shortly thereafter with "(never bought that line as a young woman certainly don't buy it now)"

Sorry Nessa my dear for putting you on the spot here, I was just trying to clear up any unnessessary BS araising from what I put :D


Steve

Nothing to be sorry about Steve. I knew what you meant. I was cool with it.

once you hold the hand of love, it's all surmountable
hold me and make it the truth
that when all is lost there'll be you
cuz to the universe, i don't mean a thing
and there is just one word i still believe
and it's love...PJ


of course i just had to quote a Pearl Jam song re: LOVE.....we get to go to Tampa and see them Sunday nite..I CAN'T WAIT!...oh yea,last nite I was posting on their rumor pit message board site and some guy had postedthat his mother was 45 and is she the oldest PJ fan anyone knew of..so I posted "please tell me that is not the oldest fan,or I'm gonna start to feel rather old",well I got all these replies from people saying ,no that wasn't the oldest...some of them were in their 50's,,that made me feel so much better.....now I know it's still ok and cool to love great music,no matter what your age is,,hell,the guys in the band are 40 now too...
;)

love is a verb.... not a noun....

it is the patience of a sunset...
it is the play of a child....
it is the storm of protection
and walking an extra mile

it is the letter received, though long over due
it is the kiss in the rain and the look that says "I do"
it is the soldier that goes on, when all senses say run away
it is the mother working all night and gets up to face another day.

it is the getting up one more time, when always falling down
it is the music of their voice that becomes the sweetest sound
it is the faintest wish of hope that goes on to find the way
to find at the end... it is the dawning of a new day
to love

By Yellowrose :)

True love is like ghosts, which everybody has talked about
and few have seen.

Originally posted by Polly
[B]Shewolf, those jackasses wouldn't know "love" if it bit them in the ***! Men like that deserve to be tortured and brutalized, so they can finally realize what it is they have caused others.

You are a sweet gal, and the right man, a man who knows what love is and finds it with you, could make you believe in the word "love" again. The last thing he'd ever do is hurt you. He'd want to hurt himself before ever letting any hurt come to you. He'd treasure you every day, and make sure you didn't have to deal with any hardships that he could possibly take on his shoulders. He'd make birthdays and anniversaries special (and even REMEMBER them). :) He'd kiss your tears away and hold you tight, until you were completely engulfed in his love, safe, warm, and happy.

Is he out there? You bet! Be ready to recognize him and open up your wounded heart. He'll treat it very carefully.




Totally spot on, exactly the way I would define it myself.

Shewolf, Polly summed it up good. It does exist :)


mick

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
_______________________
Gillian