What is Real Love?

Love is a superior feeling that has many different characteristics, depending on the kind of relationship that brings you this feeling.

You love your parents, because they are your protectors since you were born. You love your friends because they are your companions at all times and you have many adventures together that mark your life, staying forever in your memory.

You may even love your teachers if you are a good student who enjoys studying and learning.

You may love your relatives if you have a big family, the people that have helped you in your life, the people that have the same interests you do... anyone you know, and for many reasons.

However, the love you feel for the person of the opposite sex, who you desire to kiss and make love with, is completely different from the love you feel for other people, depending on your relationship with them.

Very special too, is the love you feel for your children!

The love you have for your husband or wife and the love you have for your own children are sacred. Your own family is more important for you than all the population of our planet.

But, what exactly is love?

Dictionary.com gives us many definitions, but I'll copy here only the first ones:

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

"A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person" is really the best general definition of the meaning of love.

However, if we want to really define its true meaning, we have to complete our definition with many other characteristics:

- Love is dedication, attention and understanding, because when you love someone, you give them all your time and your attention, trying to understand their problems and feelings.

- Love is protection and care, since you always protect the person you love, treating them very well, and caring about their well being.

- Love is sacrifice and devotion. When you love someone, you sacrifice your time, money, effort, and everything else for them, besides working hard to make them feel comfortable.

- Love is forgiveness and patience too, because when you really love the other person, you have to forgive them automatically and be patient with their mistakes.

There are many other characteristics that should be part of the definition of love, so that it will really be a perfect feeling of affection and human identification, which gives you immense pleasure and happiness.

If the love you feel for the other person is real, it must have all these characteristics indispensably.