Love.

Love. Is love what most of us think it and know it to be in highschool? That first eye contact and the first time you hold hands with that girl. The nights you spend doing nothing, without all responsibility, going to friends houses, driving around till your gas tank is empty, and buying the cheapest flower but not because you are cheap but because your money is still your parents money. But as you grow up you realize that love is more. Love isnt void of responsibility. And most people say that it does have its up and downs and you will want to throw in the towel. But will you want to throw in the towel a lot? As sappy as it is, do you believe in "movie" love? Movies always have a happy ending, but they have rocky patches too. So is it possible to be completely enamored with someone all the time? Where you cant get enough of someone, their laugh, their smile, their hair, their smell, their touch, their eyes, the way they say your name, the way their hand fits in your hand. Is there just a cut off line where all these little things stop being significant. I know the newness of a relationship fades, but is there a way to fall completely and utterly in love over and over again with the same person that first made your heart skip a beat?

After a lot of thought and then some more thought after this. Me, a 23 year old smart-a, can say a resounding yes to this question. Here is what i found. Love, isnt and shouldnt just be a feeling. Feelings change, plans fail. Love is a decision. It has always been that way. I have always found it odd when we as Christians, were portrayed as the "bride" of Christ. I think i just never got it. Throughout the Bible our relationship with God is compared to a marriage of sorts. A little off setting to a youngster, but this is where we can see the beginning stages of love. God chose to love us. He didnt have to. And we choose to love God. I do think we all have a longing or desire for something, but in the end its our choice to love God. So love is a choice. This is why i think a lot of marriages fail. They chose to stop "loving" their significant other. The FEELING of love faded, so they "stopped" loving them. That is what the world tries to convey to us. Love is this swept feeling and youre googlie eyed all the time and blah blah. But no, that is only the beginning of love. True love is sticking with someone even when they arent googlie eyed and your not googlie eyed for them. Dont get me wrong, there are times in love where you just cant get enough of that person. You think about their lips, their smile, their hands and as weird as it sounds even their smell. Love is intoxicating. Its supposed to be. But, Love in a relationship is work sometimes. Its two different people, living essentially one life, together. Thats where the effort has to be put in.

So is love what most of us thought it to be in High School? Nope, its just the tip of the iceberg. Which is a good thing cause i dont think i could make out in the back of my car anymore, its to small...or I'm to big. You choose.