One last time...

Okay, this is the last time I'll ponder about love because I think I've got it figured out.

It's true! I actually think I've decided what I believe about love and how a current certain someone fits into that description.

I've decided that there are three parts to true (romantic) love.

Attraction: This includes things like personality as well as physical appearance. This is why you think their random quirks and silly personality traits are cute. This is why I like that he walks like a duck, this is why I hug him so much, this is why I like it that he says his m's like n's. And yeah, this is what tends to fade as a relationship ages, but (and maybe this is idealistic) I don't think you should ever completely stop getting that kind of joy from a significant other. I think there should always be things about them that make you smile and say, "Awwww...."

Caring: This is one of the parts that takes a while to develop, and can basically be described in terms of Christian love, Corinthians 13. You're willing to give things up to help them. You truly desire them to be happy and you feel the pain that they're going through. Enough has been said about this by multitudes of people.

Commitment: Honestly, I think that this is the part of "romantic love" that I would add on that maybe other people wouldn't. Some would, of course, but I think a lot of people just use the first two which is why the word "love" is thrown around so much these days (and, of course, some people just base it on the first, which is crazy). I guess the question I would ask myself here is, "Can I see myself with this person for my whole life?" I guess this requires some practical application, and for me this is where my emotions and reason come into conflict. There are still some things about him that make me doubt if we are a good match long term. He's pretty darn addicted to video games. He doesn't take correction well at all. I'll never be able to have philospohical or literary conversations with him. Sometimes when he talks to his family, he can be very harsh; I don't want someone talking like that to me years down the road. He skips church pretty often even though he knows how important it is to me. Will he be able to graduate from college and get a job? This is where I run into problems. I like him, I care about him. The uncertainty about commitment is what lets me know that I don't love him and gives me doubts as to whether I will ever be able to.