Several times in the course of our debates on romance/relationships, the issue of 'true love' has been mentioned. What exactly is this 'true love' that we all seem to be after?

There is hardly a proper way to define true love than to say that it is a fellowship of minds, unity of souls. The only way to know true love is when you find it. You positively know that it can't possibly be better elsewhere. Your soul is at home, your mind is at peace and your feelings are adequately reciprocated. Far be it removed from either party to even think of cheating on the other in true love, there simply isn't any room for that. The more I think about it, the more near impossible it seems in this age of gross materialism, warped orientation and mentality birthing and permitting  infidelity for true love to still abide. Yet it certainly exists, however scarce. But I strongly believe that if you're determined to find your missing rib, the very bone of your bone and doggedly refuse to settle for less in the name of tradition or following the more often than not suffering multitude to get married at a prescribed age, you'll eventually meet the soul that was destined to be in harmony with yours.

What am I going on about? I am an incurable lovebird and could go on for ever about this, but in a nutshell, true love is when you willingly sign your heart and all that you hold dear, yes including your possession over, knowing fully well that even you can not possibly take better care of these things than the recipient. Total trust and faith in your partner which of cause they must have earned time and again. This is not to suggest that there will not be the occasional spar over different issues as no man/woman is perfect, but as they say, ‘making up is the best part of falling out’

Since you've never experienced this 'true love', how do you know it exists? From romantic novels and movies?

Another ineffectual conclusion! But we won't go into that here. A more cogent reason; because God ordained it and therefore it does exist beyond any iota of doubt. Plus my three older folks are married to their perfect soul mates and they are a joy to behold. My parents, despite their initial teething problems (told to me, not experienced) remain the best happily married couple I ever saw in my whole entire life. Need I go on......?

Yeah, but maybe your parents' case is not so much 'true love' as it is two people who understand what it takes to make a relationship work and are willing to do it? Or maybe that and their having similar value systems?

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
I Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV). This verse describes the characteristics of true love.

The problem with trying to find true love in our dating lives, is that too often we don't look for these characteristics. Rather we look at physical appearance, popularity, or wealth and relationships based on such do not last. Apart from that, such relationships are full of deceit.

True love is something everyone can have, but like anything else, you have to work at it to make it happen. Some couples are happily married today because of sacrifices they have made in the past. What are you doing to make your relationship work out the way you want it to?

If you are seeking true love, follow the word of God in 1 corinthians 13:4-8 and you will live a peaceful life with your partner.

tayotina has clearly quoted what true love means. So if you want to experience true love, why not experience it first with the creator who originated it? Agape comes first........

Dominobaby,

Do you believe that only genuine Christians can experience true love? Or is it available to people of other faiths?

Seun, speaking in line with the verse quoted, this verse describes the characteristics of true love. These qualities can be found in all truly loving relationships.

We can only identify true love and know when we have found it, based on the Word of God. When we match our relationships up to what the Bible says that love is -- and we are honestly prepared to make a life-long commitment to that person -- then we can say that we are truly "in love."

Love is best seen as devotion and action, not an emotion. Love is not exclusively based on how we feel. Certainly our emotions are involved, but they cannot be our only criteria for love. True devotion will always lead to action - true love.

Truly speaking, it is not a clear-cut topic. the only answer I can give at the moment is that "you'll know it when you meet your true love.

Funny uhn??

True love means a lot.In determining what true love is, the characteristics of love will be put into consideration.
* Love covers a multitude of sin.
* It makes the world go around.
* It does not count the cost of making sacrifice.
* It overrides darkness and operate in light.
* It is cheerful.
* It is kind.
* It is peaceful.

Many people may fear love but i tell you they have not really felt love the way it should be with the right. Most fall in the hands of wrong people.
The pain of losing love is not a reason to fear it, it is a reason to celebrate it.
It was due to this true love God has for us that he sent his only son to die for our sins. ( John 3:16).

If true love implies for family members then i have experienced it but for a guy i have yet to really feel true love.....

it actually very difficult to define,but the only definition can be define by a person who has really exprience it,it is more than a deep feelings .

hey in my opinion [table][/table][flash=200,200][/flash]
ithink true love is the love that GOd had for us no matter what ever your so called boyfriend can do for you it is not worth what the lord has done for you, he has forgive you, your sins and he had died for you. there should be nothing to talk about boys as a student or anything just get married to the right person GOd want to get marreied to and you will see the wounders of christ.

In my opinion, True love is acceptance. Acceptance that your partner is not going to be perfect, and that there may come a point when you might have to let them go. Being unselfish in love, i think, is the hardest task individuals face today.We are so afraid of "being alone" that we bring more problems our way and destroy something beautiful.

I read this in Nicholos Sparks' latest book, True Believer and I think it has a nice idea about love in it:

But wasn't a relationship supposed to be just that?  A relationship?  Both partners doing everything they could to keep the other satisfied?

See, that was the problem with many of the married couples she knew.  In any marriage, there was a fine balance between doing what you wanted and doing what your partner wanted, and as long as both the husband and wife were doing what the other wanted, there was never any problem...A good marriage, like any partnership, meant subordinating one's own needs to that of the other's, in the expectation that the other will do the same.  And as long as both partners keep up their end of the bargain, all is well in the world.

I just got this forward via email today and it's about love!

  Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it.Touching
  words from the mouth of babes. What does Love mean? A group of
  professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,
  "What does love mean?"

  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have
  imagined. See what you think:

  "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her

  toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time,
  even when  his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
  Rebecca- age 8
  ------------------------------------------

  "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
  You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
  shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
  Karl - age 5
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French
  fries
  without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
  Terri - age 4
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip
  before giving it to him,
  to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing,

  you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and
  Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening
  presents
  and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "If you want to learn to love better, you should start
  with a friend who you hate,"
  Nikka - age 6
  (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it
  everyday." Noelle - age 7
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still
  friends
  even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at
  all
  the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
  He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don't see
  anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
  Clare - age 6
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and
  still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
  Chris - age 7
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when your puppy licks your face even
  after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old
  clothes
  and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4
  ------------------------------------------------------
  "When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down
  and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
  Karen - age 7
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she
  doesn't think it's gross."
  Mark - age 6
  -------------------------------------------------------
  "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you
  mean it,
  you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8
  -------------------------------------------------------
  And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia
  once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
  The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

  The winner was a four year old child whose next door
  neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon
  seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard,
  climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he
  had said to the neighbor, thelittle boy said, "Nothing, I just helped
  him cry"
  -------------------------------------------------------

True LOVE, is caring, understanding,trustworthy and support no matter what condition u find Ur self.

paul bt

True love is sharing with each other and suffering pain with the people that are experiencing it.

true love? its simply what God has for us, afterall from this forum, its obvious that most of us wont even take a slap from someone as close as your lover; much less a thorough beating, total humiliation aggravated by the fact that you are hanging starkers on a cross in the freezing cold without doing anything about it even though you could. abeg thats as true as true can be!

State of total confusion

hello all, take it or leave it..true love don't exist..u must compromise in love..and the word compromise shows imperfection...

matrix:

hello all, take it or leave it..true love don't exist..you must compromise in love..and the word compromise shows imperfection...

why on earth will u say that.

True Love is True love. It is when you see the one you love and can't help but smile. (no it's not, i smile when i see people i hate). True love has no definition, becos you quarell with even people you love truely. Most people think true love is perfect. But the truth is true love is a feeling that's only within the person who loves....a feeling that even the person himself cannot explain. No one can define true love right!

Jummy79 is close to correct. No perfect definition for true love.

True love is not towards anybody but in the bearer of the love.

The person to whom the true love is shown does not even deserve it one bit.

Like God's love to mankind. Do we deserve it? But that was a perfect true love in Jesus Christ and not in us to whom it is shown.

_{True love is not reciprocal}

God Himself is true love.

If you understand what it means to accept God into your life and actually do so, then you'll be able to exhibit what true love really is.

What is LoVE then?

HND HOLDER:

What is LoVE then?

God is love.

dablessed:

HND HOLDER link=topic=103.msg8813#msg8813 date=1120146966:

What is LoVE then?

God is love.

I love you dablessed. that's is so True!

hot-angel:

True Love is True love. It is when you see the one you love and can't help but smile. !

If I may understand you True love = True God. But the greatest aspect of love is severity. True love then must contain element of justice. If you love somebody you must be prepare to lay your life down for his protection, you beat your child to protect the child from harm because you love the child truly.
If God is LOVE to be true love he must give out painful punishment to correct, , for the greater part of true love is severity, do you agree?

If all so-called love were relentlessly sifted to the bottom, nothing would remain but selfishness, vanity, weakness, desire for ease, conceit or instinct.
Genuine love will take no account of what gratifies the other, of what is agreeable to him and gives him joy, but will only direct itself towards what will benefit him, regardless of whether it affords him pleasure or not. That is genuine and true love and service.

True Love exists...in movies, novels and in YOUR DREAMS.
There is no imperfection in True Love.
All human beings are imperfect...
therefore, all human beings are not capable of feeling true love.
Only God, the perfect being is capable.

Anyone that professes true love for me should give himself up for torture, shame, beating and crucifixion all because of ME. Then I would agree that true love exists among mankind.

Thank u, I am ready to prove my love for u, I mean true love that will earn me eeee but what will I have in return?