Love
*note that the love in this passage refers to the boy-girl relational love.

dedicated to you, yueqi and h***:

The Bible says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Though those words are meaningful and definitive of love (the self-sacrificial love that Jesus had demonstrated on the cross), sometimes I do admit that I do not know what love is. Or actually, most of the time. Most people define love as just a feeling, a chemistry. It seems like the want to see the person, be with the person, stay by the person. But is that all? What if the feeling fades? What if at some point in time you do not think about seeing the person, does it mean you don't love anymore? It is indeed usual for someone to want to see another person (or in fact, people), for we do not live in solitude. We need people around. When you are depressed, you hope to get to your best friend, cry your heart out and seek comfort. Does it mean you love that person (especially if you have a best friend of an opposite gender)? When you are happy, you hope to see the person who helped you succeed, share the joy, and laugh together. Does it signify you love that person as well? When you haven't seen someone for a long time, you hope and wish that the person would appear in front of you. Does it consitute as love as well? If that's all that counts, I can say I love a lot of people.

Others, more profound, defines love as a desire to wish the person well. To them, love is about staying by the person no matter what happens, supporting the person, and genuinely hoping that the person is well and happy. That seems great, but in fact, is simple to fulfil as well. It does not really need to be that special someone. Ask yourself, have you rack your brains to help someone get out of trouble, wishing that the person is well? Ask yourself, have you ever poured out some emapthy or sympathy to a disabled person, hoping that you would have the abilities to make their lives better? We all have been taught to love, to help others. I could easily name up to ten people that I'm willing to die for, so long as they are well. Does it mean I love ten people at one go now? Those are friends, great friends.

Then there are others. Those that feel like loving someone means allowing your emotions to run wild and get controlled by the person. Those define love as crying for someone, laughing with someone, feeling confused over someone. But it occurs. It always does. If a close friend of yours passed away, would you not cry? Would it not stir up memories? If a close friend of yours suddenly ignore you, would you not feel upset and confused and frustrated? If a close friend of yours went to great miles just to give you a surprise, would you not laugh, even if it's deep in your heart? Does it mean love?

There's always this fine line between relational love, and other forms of love. We have been taught to love all our life, and maybe that's why people get confused all the while. I can love a beggar one the street, I can love a movie star, I can love my relatives, I can love a friend, I can love my siblings. I can love. But what really defines that special someone?

To me, it's the I-vow-to-never-leave-the-person factor. I admit, that I've been floating around these years, trying to figure out what love is. Now, I think I get it. Real love consitutes perseverance. Others don't matter. It's more than just chemistry. It's more than just helping the person. It's much much more. It's the willingness to hold steadfast in the relationship. It's perseverance. One day, when the feeling fades, does it mean you do not love anymore? No. If you persevere, you try to find the chemistry back. One day, when you hate the person, do not feel like doing anymore for that person, is tired of helping that person, do you stop? No. You try to overcome your human nature, and continue on. That's all about it. Perseverance. No matter you started the spark due to love at first sight, or due to close relations, you persevere. No matter what happens, so long as the words "I love you" comes out, you hold on to it, and never take it back. That's love. It's not easy, if you think about it. Try loving someone you hate, and you know what it means. Imagine the person you love now got together with you. If ten or twenty years down the road, she did something absolutely wrong and something you absolutely hate, would you be able to go up to her and say "I forgive you", would you be able to continue hoping all is well for her? That's love.

And because of that I say now, if I ever tell someone else I love you in that manner, rest assure I will hold on to the three words dearly. I would never take it back. And here I say, so long as I say that three words again, the word "breakup" will disappear from my dictionary. No matter if you make me your scapegoat, if you hurt me once or twice, if you get together with other people, if you backstab me, I'll forgive you, and I'll never breakup with you. Well, if you want it, I know I'll let you. For that's love as well. I'll let you go, though I can promise that I'll still love you, forever. That's going to be how I define love from now on. The never-dying love. No matter what circumstances, I will love. Yes, that's it.

And that also means that I would never say that three words easily anymore. My mouth is shut tight, till I can be sure that I can hold on to that three words forever. For five years you've given, I will give you ten, fifteen, fifty...if I can be certain that I'll say that three words to you.

Love
*note that the love in this passage refers to the boy-girl relational love.

dedicated to you, yueqi and h***:

The Bible says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Though those words are meaningful and definitive of love (the self-sacrificial love that Jesus had demonstrated on the cross), sometimes I do admit that I do not know what love is. Or actually, most of the time. Most people define love as just a feeling, a chemistry. It seems like the want to see the person, be with the person, stay by the person. But is that all? What if the feeling fades? What if at some point in time you do not think about seeing the person, does it mean you don't love anymore? It is indeed usual for someone to want to see another person (or in fact, people), for we do not live in solitude. We need people around. When you are depressed, you hope to get to your best friend, cry your heart out and seek comfort. Does it mean you love that person (especially if you have a best friend of an opposite gender)? When you are happy, you hope to see the person who helped you succeed, share the joy, and laugh together. Does it signify you love that person as well? When you haven't seen someone for a long time, you hope and wish that the person would appear in front of you. Does it consitute as love as well? If that's all that counts, I can say I love a lot of people.

Others, more profound, defines love as a desire to wish the person well. To them, love is about staying by the person no matter what happens, supporting the person, and genuinely hoping that the person is well and happy. That seems great, but in fact, is simple to fulfil as well. It does not really need to be that special someone. Ask yourself, have you rack your brains to help someone get out of trouble, wishing that the person is well? Ask yourself, have you ever poured out some emapthy or sympathy to a disabled person, hoping that you would have the abilities to make their lives better? We all have been taught to love, to help others. I could easily name up to ten people that I'm willing to die for, so long as they are well. Does it mean I love ten people at one go now? Those are friends, great friends.

Then there are others. Those that feel like loving someone means allowing your emotions to run wild and get controlled by the person. Those define love as crying for someone, laughing with someone, feeling confused over someone. But it occurs. It always does. If a close friend of yours passed away, would you not cry? Would it not stir up memories? If a close friend of yours suddenly ignore you, would you not feel upset and confused and frustrated? If a close friend of yours went to great miles just to give you a surprise, would you not laugh, even if it's deep in your heart? Does it mean love?

There's always this fine line between relational love, and other forms of love. We have been taught to love all our life, and maybe that's why people get confused all the while. I can love a beggar one the street, I can love a movie star, I can love my relatives, I can love a friend, I can love my siblings. I can love. But what really defines that special someone?

To me, it's the I-vow-to-never-leave-the-person factor. I admit, that I've been floating around these years, trying to figure out what love is. Now, I think I get it. Real love consitutes perseverance. Others don't matter. It's more than just chemistry. It's more than just helping the person. It's much much more. It's the willingness to hold steadfast in the relationship. It's perseverance. One day, when the feeling fades, does it mean you do not love anymore? No. If you persevere, you try to find the chemistry back. One day, when you hate the person, do not feel like doing anymore for that person, is tired of helping that person, do you stop? No. You try to overcome your human nature, and continue on. That's all about it. Perseverance. No matter you started the spark due to love at first sight, or due to close relations, you persevere. No matter what happens, so long as the words "I love you" comes out, you hold on to it, and never take it back. That's love. It's not easy, if you think about it. Try loving someone you hate, and you know what it means. Imagine the person you love now got together with you. If ten or twenty years down the road, she did something absolutely wrong and something you absolutely hate, would you be able to go up to her and say "I forgive you", would you be able to continue hoping all is well for her? That's love.

And because of that I say now, if I ever tell someone else I love you in that manner, rest assure I will hold on to the three words dearly. I would never take it back. And here I say, so long as I say that three words again, the word "breakup" will disappear from my dictionary. No matter if you make me your scapegoat, if you hurt me once or twice, if you get together with other people, if you backstab me, I'll forgive you, and I'll never breakup with you. Well, if you want it, I know I'll let you. For that's love as well. I'll let you go, though I can promise that I'll still love you, forever. That's going to be how I define love from now on. The never-dying love. No matter what circumstances, I will love. Yes, that's it.

And that also means that I would never say that three words easily anymore. My mouth is shut tight, till I can be sure that I can hold on to that three words forever. For five years you've given, I will give you ten, fifteen, fifty...if I can be certain that I'll say that three words to you.