Definitions

I have a friend, who lectures, and is particularly concerned with the adolescence of my generation. He will often challenge these lecture groups, saying 'the next time someone tells you that they love you, ask them "what exactly do you mean by that?"'
IT is a question that i have thought often and long about, as I think (and I'm not the only one to say this) that we throw the word 'love' around frequently.
This is I guess, a continuation of sorts on my post on love (which I was really pleased with thankyouverymuch), and I suppose I wanted to clear up how I view love.


I would also like to preface this, with the fact that I use this term for everybody. Being in a relationship, to me, doesn't mean that this changes in any way.


When I say to someone, 'I love you', what I mean by that is:
-I might think that what you are doing right now is the stupidest thing ever, but you know that I will stand by you  if it goes wrong (and one person in particular knows exactly that I'm saying this to them on this particular morning)
-Even though I might not support what you are doing right now, I will support you. Always
-If there's something wrong, you know I'll do anything to fix it
-Spending time with you is one of my favourite things to do, irrespective of what we're actually doing
-I don't know where I'd be without you


There's probably more, but you get the general idea.


What I'm trying to say, is that when people say 'I love you' to each other, I often feel it's like they're using a phrase that they don't actually know what it means - the best I can compare it to is when somebody uses big words, when they only have the barest of ideas as to what the words actually mean, in order to sound more intelligent.


I am often guilty of speaking and then thinking (although I must admit, it's quite fun to then back up a point you haven't really thought about, and realise halfway through you don't actually agree with), but I will never tell somebody that I love them, unless that sentiment towards them in genuine love, according to my definition.


I think perhaps one of the reasons why we have people saying 'I love you' without any real meaning behind it, its because the idea of 'love' varies from person to person. However, I think everybody should at some point sit down, and figure out at least basically, what 'love' means to them.
Why? Because aside from everything else, heedlessly flinging a term like that around is sloppy use of the English language, which upsets me. But for a reason that is perhaps more beneficial to society, understanding what love is to you, means that you understand yourself better.