The Meaning of L-O-V-E

Sorry I have not written for a while. I will try and make up for it.

As it is February I thought that I would write a few thoughts I have on love. Cliché I know, but I really do enjoy this topic. I could have an entire blog about love as I discover new things about it from my study of scripture and observing the people around me. With that said, I will try to keep it on track and to the point. Just know that it is no easy task.

What is Love to you? People say the word love all the time in all sorts of different contexts. Forget the word “love” and everything that those four letters strung together bring with it. What does it MEAN?

In thinking about this topic I decided to look up the dictionary definition. As I read it, I came to realize that I TOTALLY disagree with what they have to say about it. “A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.” That’s how dictionary.com defines it. Honestly, I read all the other sub definitions hoping they had anything better and they were all the along the same thing like endearment, warm feeling, deep appreciation, sex, ect. Sitting there I though, “THAT is not love! If that was what love is, I wouldn’t want anything to do with it. What they are talking about is shallow and fleeting. I want substance!”

I don’t mean to say that love is not those things, but they left out the most important thing that love is; it is an action. My definition of love is: “Caring for, respecting, valuing, and needing another person whom you can be honest and open with. When a person becomes an irreplaceable part in your life. A state in which you are willing to put them before yourself and investing in and contributing to their well being brings you joy.” At least in my mind it’s not about what you can get out of it, but rather what you can put into it.

Now for the vulnerable moment, I have never dated anyone and in turn I have never (by my own definition) loved any man. I have had the beginnings of love, but I have never been fully open and vulnerable with them and therefore cannot honestly say that I loved them. With that said, my definition extends to more than just romantic relationships. When I tell a friend or family member that I love them, I mean it in that way same way. It is obviously to slightly different degrees, but none the less it carries a lot of weight with me. That is why I don’t tell people that I love them very often. I love the line in Maid of Honor when Patrick Dempsey’s character says that his friend is an “I love you” slut when she criticizes him for never saying it. I know that every thing I said above may sound harsh or over dramatic (especially to my friends who I’ve never said that too), but I would rather be harsh and picky than be an “I love you slut” that says it when I don’t mean it.

So here are a few of the pictures of love that I love (no pun intended) the most. The majority of them are from the Bible, but I tried to add in some others. Also, these are all romantic examples.

Jesus and the World:
I know that He is kind of a “duh” choice to put in here, but He really is. Everything He ever did was for us. His love was so deep that it literally killed him. He forgives even when we don’t deserve it, chooses to love us despite our faults, and loves unconditionally!

Jacob and Rachel:
In Genesis 29-Jacob and Rachel fall in love and he agrees to work 7 years for her father just to have her become his wife. When her father tricks him and says that those 7 years were in order to marry his other daughter, Jacob agrees to work 7 more years!

Hosea toward Gomer:
Hosea’s wife Gomer turned away from him, had affairs, hurt him over and over and over. Despite all of that, he still loved her and never ended their marriage. His love was so great it made no sense. (Granted it was a reflection of God’s love for His people)

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet:
Yes I am going there. What makes their love story so beautiful that they both had to lay down their pride and their prejudice (hence the name) in order to love and be loved. Darcy gave of himself both emotionally and financially in order to help Elizabeth and not because he knew it would make her love him (because he thought she never would), but because he loved her. In turn, she gave up her pride and admitted that she was wrong (which for a woman like her would not be easy) because of her love for him.

Tiana and Prince Naveen:
If you don’t know who these people are it’s because you haven’t seen The Princess and he Frog. So if you care, know that there are spoilers ahead. So what I like so much about them is how they both went from being self-centered to being self sacrificing. He is willing to marry a woman he doesn’t love in order to make Tiana’s dream come true and in the end she is willing to give up her dream so that he won’t have to marry the other woman and so that they can be together (even if that means staying frogs).

I know that this has been a longer post, but I am a hopeless romantic that loves to talk about love. Remember too that this is what I have found love to mean, but the question for you is to answer the question, “what does love mean,” for yourself.

I truly hope you find Love this Valentines Day! <3