love by any other name is still love

what is love?

according to the dictionary love is
–noun

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.

(plus several more "definitions.")

but what is love to you? are there any guarantees with love? what are the risks associated with the word?  are there varying levels of love? is love a feeling or choice? is love real?

what do you think?

to me, love is multi dimensional. it takes many forms. it varies in intensity. but above all, love is love...regardless of race, orientation, or religion. love knows no boundaries.

when one chooses to open their heart, love is a feeling. however a choice must first be made to allow one to feel that feeling. specifically, love could be knocking on the door to your heart, but if you don't answer(the choice), love can't come in(the feeling).

looking at creation and the basic reasons we were made, i see love as a fundamental part of our existence. on every basic level, animals (and humans alike) were created to mate...love (and essentially reproduce.) the problem with a feeling so pure and so beautiful is how tainted the word has become and how easily people throw it around.

if you date someone for a couple weeeks, can you say, "i love you" or if you are a teenager and are certain you are "in love"...are you? or what about the couple that says i love you every night and every morning but by day, they are having affairs? something so valuable has been cheapened by so many.

ultimately though, i think it's what we are all searching for if we haven't already found it.

or do you think it is me wishing, wanting, hoping to think that something real in love yet exists? or is it just a fairy-tale dream....like the happy-ever-after way any good chick-flick ends?

more questions than answers....

but ultimately i can't help but still to believe. to have hope. and the dream that someday prince charming will come and sweep me off my feet. in my book, love is not only possible, but probable. even if it's like a giant game of "where's waldo", i know "he" is out there....somewhere.

(until then, perhaps i should book a flight to get some physical affection...although the TSA "pat-downs"may not be for everyone .)

................I am kidding, by the way :)