Literally millions of words have been written to describe and define love. When adjectives are added, it doesn’t necessarily expand the meaning. Typical adjectives are “real” and “true”. Although many have stated that “real love never fails”, it is hard to find a way to determine with no doubts that the statement is true. The high divorce rate in the Western world today would seem to indicate that more than fifty percent of couples who pledge undying love have not experienced the real thing. Here are some characteristics that could be used as a measurement of love that is real.
Loving truly is all about giving. This can mean giving material things, but its far better to give time and attention. Seeking out ways of contributing to another person’s happiness because you want to, rather than because you are working for a reward is a characteristic of a person who loves. This type of love is not limited to romantic relationships.
Another characteristic of a loving relationship and the belief that real love never fails is the ability to receive love. You have to know when and how to accept a gift that is given to express love. This doesn’t mean keeping a balance sheet of who is ahead in giving loving gifts.
True love is not necessarily based on tangible elements. Beauty may not last. Good health may disappear as you grow older. You may come upon financial hard times and not be able to afford expensive gifts for your loved ones. You can still have a long-lasting and exciting love affair throughout a lifetime if it is built on a solid foundation.
You cannot force another person to love you. Trying to control the emotions of another through force, either physical or mental doesn’t work. Demanding obedience to a set of expressed or implied conditions is not love. In fact, it can limit the development of deeper feeling.
To say that real love never fails is one of those statements that could be argued. You can point at the failure of many marriages and assume that the couple didn’t have true love to begin with, or the marriage would not have failed. You can also descriptions of many marriages that last for 50 or 75 years and seem to be successful. One thing is certain, though. It is better to love and be loved, than to be totally without human affection.
