Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Never take anything too seriously, look at all things with a sense of humor.

Now the more serious stuff....

What I Have Learned About Love

The ancient Greeks had many words for what we call "love." There was love between children and parents, a different love between a husbund and a wife, and then there was eros, or lust. Part of the problem with English is that we only have "love" and "lust," and these are easily confused. Then there is infatuation, which is basically lust but with the appearance of being love, and "making love" is a common term for a physical act.

I feel that love is something each individual ends up defining on their own. For some, love is that wild passionate near-obsession that occurs at the beginning of a relationship. This is what is called Infatuation. Love at first sight? I don't believe in it. Love at first sight = Lust at first sight. Love takes time to build, it doesn't appear out of thin air. How much time does it take? No idea. I think it depends on the couple. 

So how do I personally define love? Love is when two people are completely comfortable around eachother, when they can show all of their vulnerabilities to eachother and know that the other will still be there. It is absolute comfort and trust. Because this is my definition of love, it fits anyone in my life I know I can count on. Do I say "I love you" to people I don't quite feel this comfortable with? Rarely. Very rarely. And then only because they fit my other definition: Someone who I care deeply about and who I feel has a good chance of one day achieving the above criteria.

Can arguements happen in love? They certainly better! Every healthy relationship has a few arguements now and then, as long as it doesn't become in excess. It's natural to have disagreements and misunderstandings, and absolutly necessary to have some time apart now and then. Now by apart, I don't mean weeks or anything, but there is no need for people to be attached at the hip (I am sure we all have known couples that are like that at some point). Both members of a relationship should have their own lives, but have eachother too.

Communication is a personal weakness of mine, but it is the most vital thing in a relationship. Without communication, arguments can become excessive, or more damaging, can stop all together. Usually one or both people internalize their emotions, and keep sacrificing what they want to make the other happy. This of course leads to resentment (also internalized) and so on, until KABOOM! Nuclear explosion arguement that few relationships can withstand.

Okay well it's 4 am and I am going to bed.