Thought for food.

I recently have been pondering the nature of love, and I came to a conclusion that I don't think readily comes to mind sometimes, especially when we're "having a bad day".

Loving someone is a full-time job; its not a perk or side-benefit. Its hard work too; you have to sacrifice something on your part to make it happen and to make it work. Often, I think when one is in that initial stage of a relationship, this kind of thing is farthest from mind, because its NOT hard at all!

That first "puppy-dog" stage. You both want to be together, you want to talk constantly, and learn about each other. Sacrificing time or whatever isn't too terribly hard, in fact its pretty darn easy. And its great, you're in the best spirits you can be.

But then father time spins the clock; suddenly its several months or a couple years later. And it is here that if both parties don't recognize what true sacrifice is, I doubt the relationship will be in good condition, if it lasts.

At this point in time, a couple will start to feel the pressures of life flowing again, which is fine and normal. There is, after all, another world that the two of you live on. Daily commitments will return to normal. Some things you want to do become important (we all have more than 1 dream). In short a situation arises where either the couple will mistake the cooling "puppy-dog" stage as a sign that they don't "love" each other anymore, or find that they are not up to this real kind of "sacrificing myself" sort of thing and call it quits.

Or they will see that their love (if truly grounded) has not departed them, and instead they will begin another level of love, a sacrificing love. Those moments when you are tired from a long day of work, and want nothing better to sit and relax, but instead make time to call and talk to the special someone. That time when you're so busy with everything else, but you drop something for a bit (even though it will cost you somewhere else) and take time to make something, or do something thoughtful. These kind of sacrifices, the supporting of each other, sacrificing yourself for the other, gives rise to the next level of love! Its a deeper type of love, and it doesn't mean that silly "puppy" love is gone forever, in fact both compliment each other and remain together.

Loving someone is an awfully big adventure.