The meaning of True Love.....

Meaning of TRUE LOVE "

True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about but few have seen."

-Francois de La Rouchfoucauld

Many people claim they are in true love without knowing the meaning of the word. What does true love really mean? How can people say they are truly in love after knowing a person for perhaps only a few hours? Is love as easy to find as people make it out to be?

The term "love" is so loosely used in today's society that its meaning has become distorted.

An enormous difference exists between love and true love. True love is a genuine emotion toward another person, while love is a strong sentiment directed at another individual.

Even though these terms are used interchangeably, they are not the same. True love is a deep, tender, /indescribable feeling toward another human being.Love at first sight….is it real? A person passes someone on the street and BOOM! She's absolutely, positively sure she is in love with this other soul. That's hard to believe. For all she knows, that other individual could be an axe murderer or a rapist; yet, she claims that it is true love. Virtually nothing is known about this person other than physical appearance. So, more likely than not, true love has not evolved. Occasionally that instant feeling of attraction may turn into true love, but not without first going through the stages. Love at first sight is instant attraction, not true love.

True love must start, after the initial meeting, with friendship. It is essential that a strong bond exist before dating begins. Friendship is a phase to get to know the other person, determine common interests, and discover faults. Friendship creates a foundation on which true love can be built. A house cannot be constructed without a foundation, just as true love cannot be found without friendship. Without a foundation a house will surely fall during the first storm, just as a relationship will topple lacking friendship as its base. Companionship presents a chance to establish an understanding for each other.[/color] Trust begins to form as the relationship moves further.

Trust begins to take a more definite shape when the couple begins to date.

The couple has moved away from friendship and onto a more personal level. What exactly is dating? Usually it entails a social engagement, previously arranged, in which the couple goes out to dinner or a movie. Dating is not just limited to dinner and a movie, but it may also include a walk on the beach or dancing along with a wide variety of other activities. Now that the pair has gotten to know each other better and begun to trust one another, they begin to experience the ups and downs of a relationship. A disagreement at this point could make or break the relationship. The two gain a deeper knowledge and awareness of each other. Often some additional imperfections, not encountered in the friendship, arise causing dilemmas. During this stage, the relationship either dies or survives. Dating is crucial to finding true love; otherwise the relationship will remain on the friendship level and move no further.

Trust is the key to all things. Without this element, no true partnership could be formed because reliance could not be forged. Trust is the firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of another person. The two must learn to trust and be trusted. Putting faith in the other person allows an emotional atmosphere in which the truth can be shared. This special trust could be broken should the other person choose to be dishonest or cheat. Trust does not come naturally; it must be earned. The way to do this is through time and honesty. Consistently being open and honest may not necessarily make trust come sooner but may be earned more readily. Trust is not an easy thing to gain - be patient.

True love is an inconceivable feeling. If someone were to ask another person what true love felt like, they would not be able to give an accurate answer. True love is virtually indescribable because of the deep, tender emotions involved. Nothing else ever experienced in life is like true love. It is so profound and clear that once someone has found it, no words could possibly describe the sensation.The truth of the matter is it is not easy to find true love no matter what other people say. It may only come once or twice in a lifetime; it is not something that is stumbled upon everyday. One person has an ineffable and tender feeling toward another person, which withstands the test of time.

Once each of the previous stages has been firmly established, the engagement follows. The trust and the strong bond of friendship are so profound that the two decide to get engaged. The engagement is just the initial public profession of their feelings for each other. Usually, the woman wears a diamond ring on her finger, symbolizing the engagement. Decisions about the wedding are made during this time. The engagement does not only involve the preparation of the wedding; it allows the couple to continue building trust and a firmer relationship before their marriage.

Marriage is the joining of husband and wife in holy matrimony. The wedding is merely the ceremony in which marriage is preformed. It is truly the public profession of their everlasting feelings for each other, these feelings most likely being true love even though sometimes not. Once in a while the marriage is for political, economic, or social advantage. These marriages are performed out of convenience, not out of true love so therefore cannot last. Rings, which are exchanged between the man and wife, symbolize unbroken love.

Only once they vow to honor and obey each other through sickness and in health, is true love discovered. A marriage based upon true love is one that can last a lifetime. The true love has established such a strong bond between the man and the wife that it cannot be broken.

If the marriage is not out of true love, it will end in divorce. Marriage is a firm bond built upon friendship, trust, and love, true love.