LOVE.  This four-letter word makes the whole world go round and round and round. Everyone is looking for true love at the moment. Isn’t it? So, what is true love? What is the meaning of true love?

Is it that heart-drubbing adrenaline blast you feel when you see him/her? Or is it that feeling that makes you plunge with pleasure? Is it that slight touch that has the power to make you dance through the clouds? Or is it the beauty of the world you see through the depth of your companion’s eyes?

I’ve heard more than a few beautiful melodies that state that love is something that flows like a river, something that burns like an everlasting flame, or something that drifts like a warm breeze.

[Read: What does love feel like? 15 Signs of love to answer “Am I in Love?”]

But then again, what is true love?

In reality, love is a reasonably powerful drug. Once you feel it, you feel it. It has the power to hang time up, making the entire world appear stagnant except for the two of you. Indeed, the meaning of true love knows no depth. It’s a never-ending channel that swings you up in the whirlwind, and you never become free from it. It stays and lives with you. It nourishes you more than any nourishment; love makes you feel full and contented. You can feel it when you hug your lover, or when you embrace their palms. You can hear it in the rush of the leaves, in the fresh waft of wind and in the words of that ‘someone special.’

So you understand the meaning of true love now?

No?

Well, that’s because true love is hard to define. Ironic, isn’t it?

So what is true love really?

A true love story never ends. And the definition of true love is far beyond what you feel or do. Love is a somewhat subjective term, unlike any other word in the world. It’s something like our thumbprints. No one knows what the meaning of true love is for the other person, nor can anybody ever imitate another person’s love.

True love is like a religious conviction that you truly begin to have faith in. It is something that just can’t be described in more than a few words, but it can convey tears of happiness in your eyes while reading a letter of few loving words from your dear. Strange, isn’t it?

In reality, love is merely a word we use to describe a feeling that just can’t be defined, a feeling that nobody can know but you. It is something more than science; it’s an object that makes us accept that there is something in this world that’s still beyond our control. True love is what your soul is, what your passion is, and a Heavenly spark within us.

So what is true love all about?

Oh! It’s not that strong flow of passionate and sexual feelings that overpower you, by all means.

Well, explaining the meaning of true love is like describing a specific color to a sightless person who cannot see the color. You need to experience and feel it to understand “what is true love.”

So let us understand the meaning of true love.

What is true love #1: Meaning of true love is “Falling in love.”

Yes! The English phrase, “Falling in love,” is worth mentioning here when you want to know ‘what is true love.’  Nobody ever rises or soars high in love. In fact, something of what you are has to leave you in the process of discovering love. If not completely, at least a slice of you has to collapse. That’s because the real meaning of true love is “Falling in love.” When it’s true love you resolute to do away with a bit of you for the sake of the other. In essence, that means somebody else has turned out to be far more important in your life than you.

[Read: Being Single Vs. Being In a Relationship, What’s Better?]

What is true love #2: Meaning of true love is saying goodbye to expectations.

Of course, each person wants his/her love to act the way they want them to. One and all want their partners to be more caring. Or warmer. Or more intelligent. Or more ambitious. Each of this hope is an expectation. Expectations are simply your desires for “acceptability” of loving somebody. But true love is free of any expectations and the reasons to love someone are measureless – no holds barred. Meaning of true love is to love “as is.”

[Read: How much do looks matter in a relationship? Science Has An Answer]

What is true love #3: Meaning of true love is letting go.

A true love story never ends, but the meaning of true love can never be ‘ownership.’ You must have heard the saying, “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, then it never was.” There is a fact to this expression. Love allows people their free will with lack of restrictions. The meaning of true love is not to hold back and crush the wings of your lover to control them. True love doesn’t want to own. Instead, the meaning of true love is to set your love free if they want to be.

[Read: What to do After a Break-up: 16 Smart Ways To Help You Move On]

What is true love #4: Meaning of true love is not to stay in a relationship.

You may perhaps love somebody a lot, but still could not be compatible with them. Or they might drive you crazy with their endless indifference or disrespect for your feelings. Sure, you can always love them, but that doesn’t have to mean that you have to stay with them all the time. Meaning of true love is not that you have to stay, stay and stay. You can leave your partner, get rejected and yet love them anyhow.

[Read: How to Deal with Rejection and Ease off Like a Pro]

What is true love #5: Meaning of true love is not to force.

True love cannot be forced. It is experienced naturally, passionately, committedly and wholeheartedly. No matter how hard you try, you can never fake true love. If a couple is unsuccessful in passing the test of time and compatibility during their infatuation phase, it’s quite challenging for both of them to experience what is true love. Besides, if both the partners know and understand each other well, they’ll start to adore each other and would end up always staying together. In due course, this connection will turn into an unselfish and selfless love that refers to “what is true love.”

What is true love #6: Meaning of true love is not needing, but wanting.

Yes! There is an enormous difference between a ‘want’ and a ‘need.’ Needing somebody is a feeling that has its roots in fear. You may fear that you won’t be able to live without him/her, so you feel that you need them. But fear is contradictory to “what is true love.” In its place, wanting someone in your life offers them the choice to leave, yet demonstrates that you love them.

What is true love #7: Meaning of true love is to flow effortlessly.

True love is painless and flows with ease. It flows, and the whole thing comes naturally. When you truly love somebody, there is no need for control, no need for setting anybody, no need for blame, judgment, suspicion, responsibility or any other toxic attitude. The meaning of true love is to love. That’s all there to it; nothing more.

What is true love #8: Meaning of true love is to accept the inconvenience.

What is true love? Well, it can be everything but convenient. It takes your entire life to love somebody. Indeed, love is the worst thing you’d ever do, as it eats you up. If you want to fall in love, you should not. If you are ready to ‘fall’ though, only then it can take place. If you manage to keep your character and behavior strong during the process of ‘falling in love,’ it is just a ‘convenient state of affair’ for you; nothing much.

[Read: How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work]

What is true love #9: Meaning of true love is not a business deal.

There’s a vast yet imperceptible difference between love and a business deal. When you truly love somebody, you freely give in to the stuff you usually don’t compromise on. If you love somebody, you will shower them with compassion, care, and concern. Love causes you to be forgiving, understanding, and tolerant. If you think you love somebody, yet don’t feel like giving them your time, resources and assets, then you are just deceiving yourself.

[Read: What Does Friends with Benefits Mean]

What is true love #10: Meaning of true love is to love unconditionally.

Yes! The meaning of true love is to love unconditionally. True love has to be unconditional. There is indeed no such thing as conditional or unconditional love. Either there can be conditions, or there can be love. The moment you combine love with a condition, it just points to a contract. Perhaps a convenient business deal, perhaps a treaty – it could be possible that you made quite a lot of brilliant dealings in life – but that would not live up to you when it’s about love. This kind of love will not move you to another dimension. That is just a convenient agreement.

What is true love #11: Meaning of true love is to understand and accept the differences.

Let’s face it: every person is different. Each person has different experiences, thoughts, ideas, and point of views about the world. And the signs of true love from a man are different from that of a lady. But the meaning of true love is not to make other people feel wrong for being different. When you love somebody, you accept their differences as well.

[Read: Insanely Fun Questions to Ask Your Boyfriend When You’re Bored]

What is true love #12: Meaning of true love is to be free from bondage.

What is true love? Well, the meaning of true love is to love and be loved. Love enforces no demands, stresses or hassles. The meaning of true love is to keep no interest in holding on to somebody or something. When there is love, there is no bondage, no slavery, and no suppression, and when there is suppression, there is no love.

Meaning of true love is pretty simple.

Love is not something you need to do with somebody else. Love doesn’t have to happen between two persons. It is something that happens to you. And what happens within you doesn’t have to be confined to somebody else.

Let me exemplify it to you. Consider sitting with somebody or something that means nothing to you – perhaps a tree, an animal, an insect or a bird – for 20 minutes every day.

After a while, you will discover that you would look at that thing with as much love as you do to your companion or your mom or your kid. Perhaps the ‘thing’ cannot see that. But when you love, that doesn’t matter. If you can look at the whole world affectionately, the world as a whole turns out to be lovely in your experience. Well along, you understand that love is not something that you do. Love is the way you feel or the way you are or perhaps the way you feel happy about things.

[Read: Top-Secret Guide on How to Be Happy In Life]

Have you ever fallen in love? Yes? No? Whatsoever. Tell me what is true love for you. Share your meaning of true love and let me know how you face the world, hand in hand, with your love. I’m dying to know your thoughts! 🙂