Love: What does this little word mean to you?
This little word has many different meanings to people.
People say it all the time, but what is their version of love… what does it mean to them?
When someone says I love you, it tends to be taken in the context of your definition of love, not necessarily theirs.
So, in saying that, what is your definition of love?
For Friendship, my definition of love is mutual respect, honesty, trust, loyalty, honor, working towards the greater good for both parties – meaning you help each other, it is not a one sided friendship, but a gift of give and take, sharing, caring, taking on each other’s burdens and walking through this life as a unit. When one falls down, the other picks them up – being there for each other through the good and the not so good times, selflessness, support and encouragement.
For Family, it is having each other’s backs, working towards the same goal, like a team. Loving each other means being there for each other, trust, honesty, loyalty, faithfulness, honor, respect, commitment and guidance, wanting the best for the other person, a mutual relationship of give and take, friendship, caring, sharing, selflessness, hoping and dreaming together.
For Partners, love holds a different weight, it means even more. At the forefront are the same ones as above, because I believe without trust, honesty, honor, faithfulness, commitment and mutual respect, you can’t have true love – without those things, it is a tainted form of love. Love has a pureness about it and holds a high value to me. Along with those things, it means devotion, passion, intimacy, compassion, friendship, tenderness, desire, selflessness, adoration, dedication, fidelity, unconditional, kindness, encouragement, support, ultimately a helpmate – walking in life, hand in hand through it all and enjoying every moment together, no matter what is going on.
So, for example, when a friend tells me they love me, those are the words that come to mind, but as I said that is my definition – finding out what the other person’s definition of love is huge as it may mean something totally different to that other person. Knowing each other’s definitions of love can assist in less miscommunication when involved in a relationship and sets out the expectations for others.
Questions to Ponder:
What is your definition of love?
What is your mate’s definition of love?
What do your friends think of love?
