Love is…

Love is such a misused, misunderstood word. I feel it is often said without the understanding of the true meaning. The definition of the word love is a strong affection for or to feel passion, devotion or tenderness for another. I wish I could say that when someone says they love you that is what is really understood, meant or shown. More often than not in this world that is not it at all. Rather love is a disconnected disrespect of selfishness that leaves you feeling empty and confused. Saying one thing, showing something very different. For me that word has brought much heart ache and insecurity. When it is said I find myself bracing for the hurt and abandonment. Throughout my life no one that says they love me ever stays. They never show it for long and soon there is always something they dislike more than they love about me. I have spent so much of my life this way that it has caused me to ask myself what love meant to me so I could make a positive difference and use my own hurt for good. For me love is giving more than you take. It is care, concern, forgiveness, tenderness, communication and an unconditional, unexplainable feeling that is unique to the person you share it with. I believe the person you share it with should always know they matter and are important in your world. I want to give them a reason to smile as much as I can and will go out of my way to do so. I believe life is too short to take the people you love for granted. It is my hope that when I share love it will bring happiness to my person not just for that moment, but also as a memory relived. On the rare occasion that you find someone in life that gets the real meaning of love there is no greater gift or pleasure. Even the people around you are a witness to it. It is a smile till your face hurts kind of thing that you will never get enough of.