Question #13 - Young Love?

how do you define love? do you think that teenagers can really feel it?

Agh, a hard question! I'm going to distract you with a picture while I think about it.

Photo credit goes to ClickFlashPhotos / Nicki Varkevisser 

Okay. Let me start with the first question: I personally don't have a set definition of love... how I think of it involves many different elements, and they sometimes change. But I'll do my best to describe it.

Love: they say it's finding someone you would die for, and to a certain extent I believe that; but a decision like DEATH would usually be done so suddenly, and in such a hectic, emotional, violent moment, that you wouldn't have much time to think about it, or the consequences. Considering it that way, to me it's just as important to find someone you would LIVE for, for the rest of your life.  Living for involves wiping their face and clothes off when they get violently ill all over themselves, and maybe you. Working a job you really don't like to help pay the bills, even though they're not all yours. Being willing to change where you live and how you do so because it's something they need to do, and you wouldn't want them to do it alone. Being always able to talk about anything, whether it's important or not, but not needing to talk. Being with them, and knowing that you're the truest form of you when you are. To me, those are just some of the qualities of love. 


And to answer your second question: I believe that teenagers are capable of feeling the extremely intense emotions that often play a part in falling in love with someone. The trick, though, is how they feel "after the honeymoon ends." The intensity doesn't always last, or at least it doesn't stick around consistently, and the nature of your average teenager is to live in the moment. There's more to what I consider love than just passion, or even warm fuzzy feelings... there's the enduring need to live for more than just yourself; for at least this other person. 


And while I believe that teenagers can feel more than just the first wave of emotions, it's generally against how they're conditioned to look that deep and take things that seriously. The more mature a person becomes, the more likely I believe it is that they'll be able to love genuinely. 


Hope that answered your question! And sorry if it's really long... I can't help it.