Zoosk Dating Community

[Juliet the Moderator]

Love is an emotion that defies almost any definition. What is it? How do you describe this elusive feeling of romantic love?

Love to me is a universal force. It is the feeling you get when you meet a stranger, out there in the strange and vast world, and feel, somehow, that this person has been waiting all this time just for you. It's the sense that two people can belong together even though they've gone almost their entire lives without knowing one another, as if their lives were, until that point, preparing them for that very moment of recognition.

But enough about me. What about you? Tell me how you define romantic love.

[Mz J.]

I've been told that love is a choice. At first i disagreed, but once the chemistry and lust fades away we make a choice whether we're in it for the long haul or not. It doesn't sound romantic, but now that is how i see it. Love is a choice.

[Ms.Independent]

See, I am the exact opposite. I think that the butterflies in the beginning are wonderful, and being drawn to someone who you can't stop thinking about...is a fantastic feeling.....however, it's the events proceeding the initial, shiny new car gets a few dings on it, that really matter. If you can be romantic with someone for many years in a row, who you have seen at their ABSOLUTE worst, and still wake up to their morning breath, manage to overlook it, and have a quicky before the kids wake up....that is true love to me. With that being said, I often wonder if you can keep those feelings alive for a 50th wedding anniversary, or if you just overlook all the drama and chaos, and stay unhappily married for the rest of your life?? Filing for divorce with 2 kids at 26 was freakin scary as hell, so I am a bit of a skeptic. I put alot of thought into who I will and won't spend my time with, and every guy I have run into since single just wants "to have fun" a.k.a., casual sex. yuck

[Fluffy]

Is it very wrong that I dont believe my definition of love actually exists...?

In my younger days I used to imagine love as that "you know them when you see them", "youre inexplicably drawn to them in a crowded room" "theres a phhzt of electricity when you touch" and all those cliches.... I now consider that to be lust.

not that lust cant lead to love.... its like super-lottery-rare, but its the basis for all those great stories when it does happen.

I think, as the now the more romantically tame version of me, I consider love to be someone who makes you smile when they walk into the room, or pull up next to you in their car. and though youre perfectly capable on your own, when theyre around you somehow feel youre capable of even greater things. Not just capable, in fact, but you actually have the urge to carry them out. Because you want to be worthy of this person in your life, by being the best kind of person you can be...!

I kinda have that with someone at the moment. Alas.... no phhzt of electricity..... I's confuzzed

but to surmise, I think love and lust are 2 separate things not necessarily both found in the same package. Lust is the excitement. Love is the lingering warmth ;o)

[marathonman]

That's true I think ohai. Your answer begs another question. What does it take or what are you willing to do to hold on to your new found feelings? It requires devotion, surrender of ones self,or putting yourself in last place and if you are loved back you will find yourself in first place. The best place I think is sde by side always, tolerance, forgiveness (no one is perfect and forgiveness is not something you give when you feel someone has been punished enough) , forgiveness is someting you give in the moment or I don't think it is true forgiveness. The ability to let go. The willingness to lay down ones life to allow the other to live on. Being comfortable in silence because you know the reason your mate is silent is not because of you. You can easliy agree to disagree. It is alright to argue if you understand the true nature of arguement and you don't confuse it with fighting, yelling, or contradiction. Balance, this is required to keep from fighting(or harmony if you prefer this word. A near perfect union of mind, body, and soul, will abide and serve you both well. You asked another question about being too nice. Yes it is sadly so, but the fault does not lie with you. If someone truly loves you then you cannot be too nice. They understand it is about you and not them.
Good questions. Have a nice day
Jerry

[Ross c]

i think love is an emotion that you get whin whith one that you care for and wory about. love is the whant or need to be around somone or somthing i think everyone can love everyone but we pick eachother apart till we deside we dont like somthing about that person or thing and we move to the next and start over till we find one that we like enof not to care whats wrong whiththim moreover we love who we think will love use back i think the only resin we are all singel is cus we lover are self too much to love another right

[Alex]

I think it's a whole bunch of stuff all rolled into a goofy feeling that you can't write down. It's that feeling you get inside from just the thought of that person. Everyone has their own thoughts on what love is,yet it probably all means the same thing.

[Latin]

Love

It's when that person ceases to be a stranger and becomes your family. It is also when that person ceases to be just a friend and adds that extra value to your life as any of your other family members do. It's when they leave you for a while and you're happy when you see them again.

Love comes at you in a form that is unexplainable but can be express easily as if you were just a child again. Being comfortable and secure without feeling any judgement or humiliation from your significant other.

But over all, you know you have it when nothing that that person does (minor flaws and all) can change your mind about them... ever. It is something that everyone (making the sick, healthy. The old, young. The weak, strong. Vice Versa) can easily attain and yet so very elusive in our current world. That's my definition of Love.

It's a powerful thing.

[Raynman]

love
  /lʌv/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [luhv] Show IPA noun, verb, loved, lov⋅ing.
Use love in a Sentence
See web results for love
See images of love
–noun
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
7. sexual intercourse; copulation.
8. (initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.
9. affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.
10. strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.
11. the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.
12. the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.
13. Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.
14. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.


But on a more serious note, I liked Fluffy's definition:

Lust is the excitement. Love is the lingering warmth.

[Christopher]

I've been told that love is a choice. At first i disagreed, but once the chemistry and lust fades away we make a choice whether we're in it for the long haul or not. It doesn't sound romantic, but now that is how i see it. Love is a choice.

I absolutely agree 100%. I think that the "butterfly effect" people get at first is commonly confused with lust. As Mz J said though... it is up to the individual to chose whether that is the one you want to make a life with.... The only love I have ever felt is the love for my sons.... You want to protect them, support them, make sure they feel no pain that is within your control, provide for them, be there for them, let them know you mean the world to them and they mean the world to you. I guess in retrospect if you could apply that feeling to someone you want to make your life with..... that would be my deffinition of love.... but I still think its a choice you personally make as to if you will make the love go to that level or just let the lust fade away.