What is Love?

Things That Went Right Today:

1) Beautiful roses from my husband on the living room table.
2) Temperature in the 50's today.
3) Cute bow in my puppy's hair after grooming. So adorable.

In honor of Valentine's Day I asked my children to each answer the question, "What is love?" This is what they shared with me:

20 year old son: "Love is knowing that no matter what you would be willing to sacrifice for another person. Another part of it is knowing that you make the other person happy, and you can always be yourself around them and they will still want to be with you because of who you are."

18 year old son: "I think that loving someone means that you are able to be selfless toward them. That you are able to forsake your own opinions, wishes and even dreams if necessary to make them happy. This can be love toward a friend, family member and especially a husband or wife. There are many more things that go into loving someone, but fundamentally if you are able to forget yourself for someone else's sake I think you can say you love them. And if you are not able to look outside yourself, I'm not sure you can say you love anyone but yourself. I learn this interpretation of love from my Savior, who gave himself that we might live. This act of humility and charity is an ultimate expression of love, and when we are able to make sacrifices for others, even if it is as simple as giving up our pride in judging another or finding it in ourselves to relate to someone when we do not agree with them, it is a reflection of Christ's love for us. When we decide we love someone romantically, we commit to more than an occasional expression of love, but to always remember the dreams, thoughts and feelings of that other person, and align those with our own thoughts, dreams and feelings so that we can be connected in purpose and always seeking to support, cherish and nurture the one we love. But whether it's just a casual acquaintance or someone we have dedicated ourselves to sharing our lives with, we must always love and we do that by overcoming ourselves with compassion and charity to another."

16 year old daughter: "Love is where the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

14 year old son: "Love is hard to describe. There are many types, like the incredible feeling when she's perfect even with her hair down. Also when you help your little brother out with his pinewood derby car. The guy holding the elevator. It's wonderful. It unifies everyone. There is a feeling of love for even people you have never met half way across the world. It's very hard to describe and surrounds us everyday."


12 year old daughter:  "When you are around the person you love, there's no need to shy away from your personality. Because when you love someone you feel safe, secure and happy."


9 year old son: "Love is family and joy."


6 year old son: "It means you like someone a lot. Sometimes it means you miss someone if they die. It means you take care of your child. I love my family and my Mom."  


4 year old son: "Love means that you like someone forever. Sometimes it means you should get married if you want to."

3 year old son: "Love is about Sponge Bob."

Today I am thankful for my children and all that they have taught me about love since the day I first became a mother!