Love is saying yes to the desires of your mate when you would rather scream "Are you CRAZY!!".

Love is saying no when it really is crazy.

Love is shutting up when he says yes anyway.

Recently I have had a few discussions about what "love" really is. As someone who has been married more than once (4 times actually), I have a very strong opinion about what love is and isn't. It isn't those warm fuzzy feelings you get when you see a hot body. (That's lust and you know it!) I've said "I do" before thinking that it was love and found I couldn't stand living with him. The warm fuzzes come and go…. Real love doesn't.

Real love is making a commitment to stand by someone no matter what. That "what" could be everything from bad financial mistakes to infidelity.

Love is a choice... it's something you decide to do. That decision comes from the brain, with a tug at the heart (certainly not from any place lower). Your heart can start the ball rolling, but ultimately it's the brain that says "This is THE one" Love is the choice that makes you stay when you want to run. It's the choice to hug when you want to wring his neck. It's the choice to talk when you want to stare and hope he gets the message. (Die, Dog, DIE!)

Love is opening yourself up to another knowing that the chances for getting hurt are 99% good. If you keep yourself closed to hurt, you don't really love. And, contrary to popular belief, love IS saying you're sorry…again and again and again. It is also forgiving when he comes to you saying "I'm sorry."

Which brings me to a sub-topic. Forgiveness is not forgetting. Its choosing to love in spite of the memories and the hurt. Its choosing to say "I'm going to stay and work things out" everytime those thoughts come to mind. Its choosing to dwell on the good things in your relationship and setting aside the pain.

By the way, love is not just mouthing a lot of nice words. Love is putting action behind those words.

Do you love someone? Show them now… while it's still today.