What is Love?

A guy friend of mine posted this question, and I responded to it.
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What is love...(baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more)
First, I hope that people understand the song referenced above, i know its cheesy. But when i thought about what to write about I started singing it even though it has nothing to do with what i am thinking. I am really wondering what is love and how do you know you have it? I mean I remember in 7th grade saying i was "in love" but i look back now and realize that i was just young and it was a little crush, but at the time it was revolutionary. So how do we as people ever know when we have reached that point? Is life one continual experience of "love" only to look back later and realize it wasn't it? Is love just a crush that people work out and commit to making work? I know love is patient and kind, etc.; but a descriptions of parts does not equal what it is. Listing characteristics of people, or of God, does let one really know that person. What does it take? What does it require? How do I know if I have it? Am I too scared to come to know it or even admit that I already have it?
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Comment to your July 18th post :)

What is love, well this is my opinion and experience, so take it or leave it. But it is a question that we all ask. I believe that like many things that God has his hand in, there is a trinity here. We love in many different ways and for many different reasons. The English language has one word, that can mean so much. I believe that we tend to love in three broad categories: Friend, Brother/Sister, lover. The brotherly love can be as broad as we are human both you and I so I love you. It can be blood, it can be I love you because I have to, but I don’t like you. It pertains to family both blood and Christian family. We love them because God loves them. Then there is friend love, this is more intimate, this is who we will open up to, be vulnerable with, who we enjoy being with doing things that we like together. A trust is built here in many different levels. We will love different friends for different reasons, they fulfill different purposes in our lives. Then there is the physical, this is attraction, this is “I want to kiss this person” I want to make love to this person”. BUT when is it real love…. You know the marrying kind? Well I believe this is when all three become one. God is so into a trinity, three separate things, yet one. Our brother/sisters can become friends, and we can be physically attracted to someone who we might respect or admire (brotherly love), but when we combine all three, that is when you have something. When you respect them for who they are, desire the best in their lives, believe that you are connected because God has put the two of you together in each others lives, then that grows in to friendship, trust, intimacy. This then is the person you want to tell all your secrets to, you trust them enough to know all the crap. You believe that even when they are mad at you they still love you and will never give up on you, when you find the best friend someone that you can’t see living your life without, you want to kiss them you want to make love to them, you want to clean up their vomit (not that you would want to, but you would willingly do it) it is ok to fart around this person, and be your real self. When you see that this person helps you be a better person, and that you help this person be a better person. It is when you know that even though you could survive without them, you don’t want to have too! Like the fact that we don’t need toilets and showers, but most of us would be miserable without them. This is the person that even when they are in the crappiest mood ever, you are still happier with them then you are without them. (this does not mean that you have to be with them 24/7, or that you cannot enjoy alone time and being an individual) Then the love grows and becomes more like finishing each others sentences and thoughts, knowing what each other likes and being connected to them in prayer and in dreams. This kind of love is hard, but it is worth every effort to have. Satan’s desire is for us not to live this way, because in this kind of unity there is great power. So I have either helped you, or I have raised many more questions, but that is my two cents :)

I love you
Barby