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Title: What is Love
Category: lonely
Blog Entry: Main Entry: 1love Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please Date: before 12th century (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties <maternal love for a child> (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for his old schoolmates> b: an assurance of love <give her my love>2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of the sea>3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration <baseball was his first love> b (1): a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2)British —used as an informal term of address4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God Agape - Is charitable, selfless, altruistic, and unconditional. It is parental love seen as creating goodness in the world, it is the way God is seen to love humanity, and it is seen as the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for one another. Phileo - Is a human response to something that is found to be delightful. Also known as "brotherly love". Two other words for love in the Greek language -- Eros (sexual love) and storge (needy child-to-parent love)  The word love can be broken down until we've lost the word all together. After reading the word so many times, we lose focus. Repeat it outloud tens times....any idea how it originally sounded? Over centuries we beg and plead to just know the answer, what is love?Well, I don't know. I might know what it means for me, but I don't know what it means for you. Just like everything else in life we have the ability to believe what we choose to believe. What works for one person doesn't work for somebody else, so how can we give such a specific definition to a word that has as much diversity as religion?What I can do is give you an idea of what to look for, signs that may work for you, and may not. Everybody is still different and still seeks different things, so what I can share with you is things that work for me and if anything maybe it can atleast inspire you to explore what it is for you.To set the mood to share this very personal information, we'll imagine we're curled up on an oversize couch with mugs of steaming hot chocolate because let's face it, what's a good heart to heart without some chocolate? So first meeting somebody, it's about the eyes. You can just tell stupid people, no offense, but they just have this blank look in their eyes. I can see when I make eye contact with somebody if there's something there. It can be the tiniest little stir that makes me feel like I should look awake, but I can't break the contact. If there's no eye connection, there's no connection flat out. Somebody's voice, if they have a voice I know I could just listen to, we're good. I like to have somebody I can hold a conversation with, banter back and forth with, and talk to for hours. It tells me there's more than the initial attraction when I can talk to them over the phone, because I'm not looking at them so I can tell if there's an emotional connection. Sense of humor and sarcasm have to be there for me, I like to laugh and smile.Sensitivity, somebody who can recognize what I've been through in my life and support and appreciate the growth I've made. I need someone to can see my strength and, to maybe want to be there for me as an equal, but not pave the easy road for the rest of my life. I enjoy working hard because I know I've earned it. I want someone easy going but stubborn, who can go with the flow but stand up for what they believe in and on occasion not take no for answer. I truly love my independence and ability to take care of myself, but I would love to not have to all the time. It would be nice if I could trust somebody else to make a decision instead of knowing I can only rely on my own judgement. I have no problem giving up some control to someone who can handle taking it.I will fall for anybody with an appreciation for music. You can be completely tone deaf and still sing just because it's fun and you don't care what you sound like. As long as you can sit through my favorite independent film and keep your mind on the movie and see what I see, you're good. Also have to be able to put up with my ability to laugh at overdramatic and pathetic horror films. If you want to try and cuddle and think a scary movie is the way to go, you're in for a rude awakening because it won't work. I also have quirky habits, so you have to be able to laugh at them and not roll your eyes when you have to order my medium hazelnut iced coffee with 12 creams and 12 liquid sugars, light on the ice. If you forget I hate tomatoes, you're doomed.Simply put, I want to be seen for who I am and not who someone wants me to be. We all have to settle for things we thought we didn't want in somebody. So maybe dating someone who occasionally smokes isn't going to kill me as long as they're respectful about it. And maybe if you don't truly love my cooking it's not the end of the world. And I guess being able to dance can be put on the back burner. Because there are bigger things. There's the fact that yes I have a daughter, and yes I have a past. As much as my daughter's father is not going to be awarded a father of the year plaque, he's still her father. I would never presume somebody else take that position in her life. Accept her, be my equal, and we'll call it a deal. Above all, do not ever think I am in it for a step up. I never want to have to defend the fact that I follow how I feel and I listen to my heart. I've been married twice without a ring, that should tell you something. I don't take advantage of people and I'm the person who's always gotten walked on.The one truth I have lived by as far as loved concerned in my life is what has become cliched. My life passage as always been 1 Corinthians 13, and above all of the specific qualities I'd like to have in my life, this will always remain true."Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. There are three things that will endure-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love."Sometimes it's not about recognizing love, it's about knowing when you don't have it. You will be lonelier having it and denying it, than not having it at all. So do yourself a favor and take risks; be afraid to fall. Learn that the greater the risk, the more satisfying the happiness. If you fall you can get back up again but never stop trying. You will fail, but the more failure you overcome, the more you appreciate the success. And know that you can't expect somebody else to see something in you that you don't see yourself.