What Love Means to Me
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Valentine’s Day is coming soon and with that brings many thoughts and questions among singles and those who are married. What is love? What does it really mean? While I’ve only been married a few years now, I feel like I have a better understanding of what that word is and what it means. While it may mean different things to different people, here’s what it means to me.
Love: What is it really?
When I think about love and falling in love, I think about the many things we hear about it today. Many people believe it is a choice. Some say there is no such thing as, “falling in love” or “love at first sight.” I think this is partially true. It is a choice, something you choose each and every single day. But at the same time, I also believe you can fall in love with someone.
When people use the phrase, “fall in love” it just means that they met someone and in time came to love that person very much. It could mean that they did not expect to find it in that way or with that particular person, but yet they fell in love with them anyway. This is why we ask to hear about people’s stories. We want to hear how they met someone and then and then later decided to marry them. These stories tell us a lot about the couples we know.
When I first met the man I married, I did not like him. He had a personality that at first did not click with me, but it ended up being the best thing for me and my personality. We were a great match! At the time, if you had told me I would end up loving him and would eventually marry him, I would have said you were crazy. This is how I know I “fell” in love with him. It was completely unexpected, and yet so amazing.
As far as the term, “love at first sight,” I have different thoughts on that. I am not so sure anyone could really and truly love someone the second you lay eyes on them. Could you like them? Could you decide that you will marry them one day? Sure, but I do not believe in that moment that means you love them. I think part of what people mean when they say this, is that they are infatuated with or lusting after that person. Can infatuation eventually lead to love? In many cases, absolutely!
I believe love comes softly and slowly. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It is a choice, because after you get to know someone, you start to realize they are not perfect. They make mistakes, have bad habits, or do annoying things. It’s when you make the choice to continue loving them despite their mistakes and bad habits, that is the deciding factor of how true and pure it is.
When you get married, life won’t always be perfect. There will be many hard times and many ups and downs, but when you make the choice to love your spouse no matter what you may go through, that is how you know it’s true. It is a choice you make for the rest of your life and it is a beautiful thing.
So my advice to those who aren’t married yet? Don’t worry about how it will happen or when it will happen. You will find the right person, and it may even be when you least expect it. Just keep on being YOU and remember you are loved no matter what!
What about you? What are your thoughts and beliefs on this topic? What is your story? Share it with us in the comments below!
* Please know that I am not talking about cases of abuse in any form here. If you are in an abusive relationship, don’t stay. Get out and get help today!
No I do not believe in first sight, like you said that is infatuation or just lust.
To me love is a lot of different things. But the main thing I have learned is love is not always rainbows and butterflies love also means sacrifice, or putting yourself last. So love is also selflessness.
And like you said, I did NOT like Josh when I first met him. LOL, I would never have believed it that we got married!
Happy v-day! âĽ
Thanks for coming by!
Stoppin' by from SITS!
I believe love is a choice… And dare I say it… I believe maybe not in love at first sight, but maybe *knowing* at first sight? I don't know. I remember the first time I locked eyes on The Husband, and we were engaged 5 weeks after that, and married 4 months later. But I'd already been married once before — I knew what *wrong* felt like. But we have definitely had to choose to love each other through several bumps in the road, and we always will. Love is a choice every single day.
Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogosphere! What do I think love is? I think it's way too big to put into words. And do I believe in love at first sight? I didn't until I met my husband. Thought it was just lust at first sight, but 11 years later, we're still together!
I think it happens when you least expect it and I think your last picture is SO TRUE!
It happens differently for everyone. There are guys I have loved, but didn't like at first. There were some I was just infatuated with. W/ my fiance, there was an instant connection w/ us (2x – we had a run -in at Borders the yr before we officially 'met' – but caught each other's eye both times). But the working out of the relationship has had its bumps, so we've had to choose to continue in our love for one another. Whether it just 'happens instantly' or comes from a deeper knowing of someone over time, it still has to be nurtured to survive, either way.
I enjoyed reading this. I don't have much of an opinion on this topic since I haven't been in love before, but I definitely have never believed in love at first sight. I don't know how that could be.