What is love? This is a question that people have been asking for centuries. However, it may be hard to define simply because it is an individualized concept.
What one person defines love in a relationship may be very different from what another defines love. In its simplest definition, love is strong feelings and emotions felt between two individuals.
This is so basic of a definition that it is somewhat inaccurate. Understanding how you define love as well as your partner can be key in a relationship when it comes to building a strong and successful one.
Love is such an individualized and customizable experience that there is so much more to the concept.
In this article, we’re going to do a deep dive into a broader look at what it really breaks down to. Though we may not be able to define it completely, we hope the article will help you communicate what you define it as.
What is the True Meaning of Love in a Relationship?
Love can be described in many different ways, and there are all kinds of forms of love. Answering the true meaning of love in a relationship is really dependent on the individuals involved in that relationship.
Though there is a romantic or sexual attraction or strong feelings between two individuals, this is not the most accurate definition when it comes to looking at love in a relationship.
The reason it’s so hard to define the true meaning is that it is an emotion and a strong one at that, and because it’s such a strong emotion, it is very individualized.
Broken down to its simplest form, love in a relationship can be defined as an unbreakable bond between two individuals that share sexual attraction but also emotional and mental as well. Of course, factors play a role, and it may depend on the type of love you are looking at.
What Are the 4 Types of Love?
Love is such a broad idea. There is not just one type of love. Although most people, when talking about it, automatically jump straight to the romantic love that we all feel for our partners, there are other forms of love that are just as important.
In fact, most philosophical individuals and love experts break love down into four main types. Here’s a look at those four types of love:
- Eros – Romantic love
- Philia – Familial love (friendly)
- Storge – Familial love (affectionate)
- Agape – Unconditional love
What Are the Signs of True Love?
Many people are constantly in search of that idealistic true love. But how do you know if you have found true love? There are definitely some signs that what you are dealing with in your relationship is true love. These signs, though, can vary from relationship to relationship.
Even though one true love is going to be different from the other, just like any relationship, here are some signs that you can look for to be able to determine if what you have in your relationship is true love:
- You find yourself being patient and understanding despite differences.
- There is an honest and non-judgmental line of communication between the two of you.
- You never doubt or have a lack of trust between the two of you.
- Both of you are free to be yourselves and never feel like you need to hide even your strangest quirks.
When Does Love Happen in a Relationship?
Love happens in its own time! There is no time frame for when you will feel love in a relationship. Some people feel it the minute they meet; for others, it takes years to truly develop that love. So you have to be patient.
Patience may be one of the most key attributes one can have when dealing with relationships. No matter if it’s a platonic or intimate relationship, everybody feels love in their own time.
How Will You Know Your Partner Loves You?
So how do you know if your partner loves you? Once again, this is one of those questions that redshift the individuals within that relationship period. Of course, there are some tried and true signs of love.
A few of these signs are:
- They trust you implicitly
- Your partner always wants to spend time with you
- Never leaves you out of big decisions
- Genuinely cares about your day-to-day life
- They show you unrestricted respect
- Your partner makes you a priority
Final Thoughts on What is the Meaning of Love in a Relationship
Defining love is something that will forever be a goal for philosophers and poets alike. However, it may never be completely and accurately defined because, as we’ve said, it is an individualized feeling.
The core behind the definition of love in a relationship is simply strong affection and feelings towards another individual.
Even with that definition, though, there are so many nuances that, as we said, this question will never be completely answered. However, we do hope that with a few of these thoughts and concepts surrounding the definition of love, we’ve helped you get closer to the answer.