True Love Vs Love|Discover the Difference|With True Love We Flourish

A day of love is just around the corner. Valentine’s is one-day set-aside on a calendar to show someone we care. But wait… shouldn’t Valentine’s be every day of the year? We can show others they mean a great deal to us in other ways besides presenting them with more stuff. Beyond the chocolates, flowers, and jewelry. I know, it’s nice to receive these things, but wouldn’t it be nicer to receive what’s directly from the heart rather than what a day on the calendar imposes? Personally, I would rather receive these gifts on any other day other than Valentine’s day. Are we just infatuated with the concept of love or is it time to discover the difference between love and true love?

What about showering them with affection, hugs, and kisses? How about holding someone’s hand? What about asking about their day and taking the time to listen? To truly listen. How about opening a door, pulling the chair out for her or helping her with her coat? Simple courtesy. Ok, I get it, this doesn’t work for everyone. There are those relationships where the expectations are real, and the demands are huge. I know because I see it everywhere I go during this time of year. I once said, “Look, I’m not into chocolates, flowers or jewelry, I prefer real-estate.” All kidding aside, this day is a big deal to many people.

LONG AFTER THE INITIAL ATTRACTION

The attraction begins innocently when eyes meet across a crowded room. However, what happens after the initial strong desire? Long after dating, after the wedding, followed by children, late nights, and diapers? Somehow, the attraction fades, and the diamond loses its luster. At the beginning of every love story, everything is fresh, vibrant, and sexy. Sometimes it took but one look, and you were captivated, but now? If you are lucky to have found that special someone, the feeling will stay with you for a lifetime or not. What more can I say? True love when mutual is magical. You feel it not only when you are together but also when apart. And you will feel it long after you took turns changing diapers, cleaning up or sending the kids off to university. 

WHAT IS TRUE LOVE?

It’s somewhat hard to define, for love in itself is an individual expression. Every person feels it uniquely. More likely, it’s something you have no control over. It just happens, and your heart is usually the first to interpret love’s meaning. We go beyond the call of duty for those we truly love. There’s a saying, actions speak louder than words. Words are nice, but much nicer when followed by actions, whether sentimental or practical. You never have to wait. Wait for the phone to ring, wait to see if he’ll ask you out, wait to see if she’ll say yes. There is always follow-through. And their word is as good as gold. It’s dating followed by an engagement resulting in a wedding. The follow-through really matters.

True love is unconditional. You are admired for just being you. It’s appreciating someone in their strength and in their vulnerability. It’s a comfort level. You are at ease as it feels effortless and natural. This gives you further reassurance that the relationship is oh so right. Perfect love is considerate, patient, and trustworthy. It’s when the other person thinks about you, more often than not, and cares for you deeply as they continue to protect and support you. There’s a two-way communication whereby two people share not only their hopes and dreams, but their fears.

THE DESIRE TO BE BETTER THAN WE WERE

A relationship takes work to keep the spark from vanishing. Sometimes it’s easier to quit instead of trying to make something work. It’s easy to just shut one door and simply open another. What does commitment mean to you? If true love, there’s devotion. We place that special someone at the forefront. This shows we care. When you accept all their quirks, appreciate their company, and support them no matter what, that’s when the relationship is on a different playing field altogether. A romance is but a romance… but when we have mutual love and respect, well then, that’s a different story.

Once in a romantic relationship, it’s easy to pinpoint the flaws. Especially when we lack love or when we fall out of love we have the tendency of looking down on the frailties and shortcomings of others. What we see in others perhaps is the same things we refuse to see in ourselves. Love is perfect, but we fall short. If in love, we never give up, by no means do we cease affection and compassion, we continue nurturing the relationship until it grows and prospers. There’s admiration, acceptance, and gratitude. No expectation, demand, or hidden motive. Now and again, we get confused, believing something is when it isn’t. Sometimes, realizing it’s love from the get-go, at the moment we held their gaze. Occasionally, a relationship grows into true love. And as natural as love is, it simply flows, and in the process of flowing, we flourish.