What is true love?

Written by Harriet Sun

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I can picture the day. Rice flying, a limo pulling up to take him and me to the airport, white clusters of flowers on the pews, tears in my mother’s eyes, my bridesmaids in lavender chiffon….

All the details of my wedding day are worked out in my head. All of them, that is, except for the groom. Oops. That’s an important part, huh?

Love. It’s a commonly thrown around four-letter word. “I love macaroni and cheese.” “I love Vanilla Ice.” (Remember that?) Sometimes, even an “I love him” or “I love her.”

What is real love? And is there a difference between that and the heart-pounding adrenaline rush I feel when I see…? You know the person I’m talking about. That hot guy playing basketball at the gym… the cute girl who makes eye contact as she passes by… the friend of a friend of a friend… maybe a best friend. It’s that person we keep track of when he or she is in the same room, whose comments and actions we analyze to no end.

There are a few things love isn’t. Love isn’t a feeling. Although real love is often accompanied by strong feelings, love does not equate with the sense of floating on clouds. Unlike the type of love that movies, television, and songs portray, people in love don’t always feel ooey gooey around each other.

A relationship wouldn’t last long on emotions. In fact, knowledge is the basis of a healthy relationship.

Knowing about the other person is key. I used to and sometimes still do “fall in love” with guys that I have never had a conversation with, whether it be a movie star in the latest romantic drama or the guy sitting behind me in a calculus class. I would know his name and his face, and that was the extent of my knowledge of him. If I were to start a relationship with him, who knows where that would lead us!

Knowing about the person’s personality and character are so important. One good test is to list the qualities that attract us to that guy or girl. If the list is long, we know a lot about them and like those things. If the list is short, we either don’t know a lot about them or we know a lot but aren’t attracted to his or her personality.

Another important factor in a relationship is common life goals. If the relationship is going to be long term, we need to be going in the same general direction as the other person. If his dream is to travel as an international businessman and she wants to be a realtor in a single location, conflict could arise. If she wants to live in the countryside with nature and he likes the hustle and bustle of a big city, there are potentially serious problems with the direction of the couple’s lives.

Love isn’t sex. That statement alone goes against a lot of what the entertainment industry feeds us. Whenever two people hook up in pop culture, they have sex. Without showing some of the unpleasant realities of premarital and extramarital sex, it is drawn up to be a wonderful, fun recreational activity.

Sex is created for marriage–a long-lasting commitment between a couple. Outside of marriage, sex can have harsh consequences. Pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, guilt, insecurity, and shame can follow. A relationship based on lust can only last as long as the two are physically close and find each other sexually attractive.

Love is a choice. It’s a commitment. Although feelings will accompany love, and although sex will be a part of marriage, a lasting, healthy relationship cannot be based on these things.

The Bible says that God is love. God, as our designer and creator, made us with needs for love. Do you ever wonder why we constantly seek love from others but never feel completely satisfied? It’s because God designed us for an unconditional love, and we, as people, are flawed.

devo-interact-icon-42x42Is true love possible? Tell us what you think

People, whether friends, family, or your significant other, will invariably let you down at some point. God wants us to find our need for love and acceptance in him first. One person cannot meet all our needs, even if he’s funny or she’s thoughtful.

We were made for God’s love, and God’s love alone can fill that need. Only after experiencing and knowing the unconditional love that God has for us, the love that drove God to send his Son to die for us on earth, can we begin to love others with the same quality of unconditional love.

TRUE LOVE 101: What does it take to be that significant other?

Infatuation

  • Sees the other person as perfect
  • Wants to get own needs met; selfish
  • Spends all time with the other person
  • Quickly “falls” for the other person
  • Other relationships and friendships deteriorate
  • Dependence on the other person causes
  • Jealousy frequently
  • Lasts for a short period of time
  • Distance strains and often puts an end to the relationship
  • Quarrels are serious and common
  • Quarrels can seriously damage the relationship

Love

  • Sees the other person’s flaws and still loves them
  • Wants to serve the other person; selfless
  • Still spends time with others
  • Takes time to build the relationship
  • Other relationships and friendships grow stronger
  • Trust and understanding results in less severe and less frequent jealousy
  • Encompasses a long-term commitment
  • Survives and sometimes is strengthened because of distance
  • Quarrels are less serious and less often
  • Quarrels can strengthen the relationship

Infatuation can be so tempting. But the question is, do I want a lasting, satisfying relationship? If so, infatuation isn’t the answer. Look at your relationships through the grid above. Infatuation isn’t a bad thing, as long as we don’t base a relationship on it.

Perhaps finding real love begins with God, the one who created relationships.

Join the conversation below or talk to us privately.

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168 Responses to “What is true love?”

  • sapana says:

    1st U feels u that he is only for u and then after he will be disapper from ur life, in this case what is your reaction?

  • dolpz says:

    love in tennis is zero…

  • dolpz says:

    if true love ends, it is love in the first place?what does it mean?

  • Fraser says:

    My “True love story”

    I met D.A.M. via the “Fish” at a coffee shop + we had an immediately connection. We continued our meeting at a resturant. The relationship was amazing, we were each others best friend, the sex was cosmic, the arguments were intence. Over time with work the arguments were less frequent and were fairer. We worked at it and it was just great. We talked about everything nothing was exempt. We talked about marriage, her parents or parent eventually living with us, her children, our dreams and asperations.

    After almost 2 years the end was a result of us not talking. Due to time constaints I would see her 3 or 4 times a month a result of her getting the children 24/7 and her univercity courses. We parted ways.

    Over the next 14 months I dated a few women and one in particular who was just a sweet heart. We dated for awhile and eventually she had fallen in love with me. I had not fallen in love with her so I ended the relationship. We remain friends.

    Soon after that D.A.M. sent me an email, we met for a walk and chatted. I was thrilled to be with her and her with me but she was in a relationship with another man. We have talked about why our relationship ended as it did, what we both could have done different and so on. She has told me that she loves me but only cares for her new guy. We gone on hikes and other things. When we are togther the world feels right, we feel right.

    Since we met back in ’07 there have been numerous coincedences that have happened to us, too many to mention(devine intervention comes to mind) but I will say that it all seems to suggest that we should be together.

    While she was with the new guy she has told me she often thought of me and even went as far as to look for me at a concert(we had talked about going if the group ever came to town).

    So here I wait for the woman of my dreams(I actually dreamed about her before meeting her!). She is having a tough go at it with her going through menopause and an idiot of an ex. I do believe we are meant for each other as I have never felt this way before. We are soulmates and this is true love.

  • Truth says:

    I never get who i want
    the ones i develop lots of love for
    I don’t even care if a find a soulmate or not
    i’ll problay walk right pass them
    cuz i waited too long
    love aint love if you not receiving it
    so therefore, i dont care

  • pOetiQ rOses Publishing says:

    ^^^^^
    The Best things in life are worth waiting for
    especially Romance

    B.G

  • PoE says:

    i know what true love is, here is my story: i met a handsome man 18 yrs ago. we fall in love the first day we met. I was just 19, he was 25. Our love has always been a distance love but it never changed the way we feel for each other. First he lived 700km away from me, I was at University and he was working as a Doctor. we dated for 4 years. Evrytime we met, it was like first time, we will look at each other eyes for a long time and just be together. He has a dream of becaming a specilaist surgen, he went to live in another continent so that he can achieve his dream and because i love him , i thought it will be selfish of me not to let him go.the day he left, we both cried so much , declared our love for each other and we both knew , it may be the last time we might see each other. we kept communicating and at some pont we lost touch
    So we went our seperate ways, we though this was nt meant to be. I found a very kind man who really love me and i got married. But i never really stop loving that guy, i think about him all the time, all the time. I will lie awake in the night,& dream about him all the time. I tried to forget him, take him out of my mind , went for counselling but i couldnt stop loving him. for years i didnt hear from him at all but my love was still there , so strong.
    I after i was sure , 10 yrs late, it was really true love, I didnt want to die without seeing him and telling him how much i love him amd how much his love keep me alive. i decide to risk everything , my marriage , my job . i took my savings and went to look for him. I found him and guess what he was also still in love with me. Guess what, he was still single .He felt exactly the same way, have called off his engagement 3 times and he say he felt he never really fell in love since he last fall in love with me long time ago.
    we still live in different continent but now we see each other more often.. we just know , we truly love each other, we trust each other. WE are soulmate. when the other is nt felling well u just know. we finally decided few days ago, we need to be together for eternity….. we will be living together and then ….rest is in God ‘s hand

    WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE MAN WHO LOVED YOU (Husband)?
    OR DID YOU REALLY LOVE THE MAN YOU WERE MARRIED TOO

  • eno emmanuel says:

    The comment of PoE leaves a sad feeling in my mind. If indeed there was the kind of love as expressed on paper, then there should have been a waiting for true love waits.
    Why marry someone who loves you and you dont love the man but you love another person somewhere?
    What now happens to the man who loved you enough to marry you now that you have gone to live with another man? Love is patient, love is responsible and love never hurts one man to please another.

  • Tadeu J.Matos says:

    True love is loving a fellow not expecting him to love you in return.
    As the bible says: for God so loved the world and he gave his one and only son..we didn’t give anything in first place to God for him to give us his son but he so he loved the world….love others as you love yourself…in relationship if people can love each other as he or she can love himself these people will build a strong relationship…love doesn’t hate or hurt but care

  • chandni arora says:

    @ eno emmanuel

    good thought, i like it :)

  • pOe says:

    eno emmanuel

    NO, YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG LOL
    someone else wrote that
    as you can see at the bottom
    i wrote the questions in CAP
    I am not Married and wouldnt leave
    my spouse to be with someone else

  • pOe says:

    Love is a two way street
    Not One
    You can love someone all you want
    but if they love you back
    then whatz the point
    sometimes looking for Love won’t bring the desired results
    but when you savor it for the unexpected and univited
    it all works out to full benefit
    those are my thoughts

  • pOe says:

    @ eno emmanuel

    i dont see my comment
    this system actz a lil weird
    but i’ll just repeat it again.

    That wasn’t my story
    at the bottom there
    i wrote in caps
    questions to the person
    who left her Husband for another Man
    thx

  • eno emmanuel says:

    Sorry POE. My comment and poser were for the person who left the husband for another man and called it love. The presentation was as if you made the comment. Your question in caps is quite okay. God will grant you to have a friend who loves and will love you always.

  • sharanya says:

    i av aproblem i don kno wter its love or not…me and a guy is in relation for two years..we are vry open to each other like friends..we kiss each other,,,feels jealous wen de other z with other person..bt don kno wter its just a friendship or love??

  • bere says:

    well i think im love but idk if he qot the same feelinq towards me because he dont really show it.. but like somebody said when u love someone u dnt expect them to love u back.. i dnt qet it i quess im younq still to knw what really love means .. i juz need to think and qrow up a lil more.. loll….!!!!

  • anonymous says:

    there is nothing callec true love.its just a sexual attraction in short infatuation.its just fun and frolic or u can say use and throw.true love is all balls,bullshit and utter nonsense.

  • jinny says:

    i also have a love story … it’s kinda complicated .. i don’t know what will happen to us like i don’t know weather we will be together or not in future … i want you all to pray for me as i love him alot and he loves me too but he is kinda arrogant and has broken my trust before now i don’t know how to trust him again

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