Anonymous asked this question on 7/10/2000:

Hi, this one came up during a conversation at a beach, with lots of moonlight :-) "What is love?"? Everybody knows it when they feel it (or at least they think so), but what about the *other's* true feelings? Is she (he) in love because you are having sex? I guess not, because plain money can buy you sex, even sex with beautifull people. Is it then the commitment to companionship, living together? Again, she (he) might be living with you because of material confort, or using your prestige/social net for her (his) own advantage. So what then IS love, if not sex or the desire for cohabitation? (My friend proposed that the only way to become sure that you are being loved is when the other person is willing to risk everything they own, maybe their very lives, for you. Pretty strong that, but even so, what about psychos?)

SeekTrueLove gave this response on 7/10/2000:

Dear Anonymous,

Being "in love" is a feeling. "Loving" someone is an action. You cannot know if someone is really in love with you unless they express their feelings. But "being loved" by someone...you can tell by their actions. Usually their actions are coupled with feelings and emotions that you can sort of sense.

I agree with you though that love can be defined in so many different ways, and yet when we encounter it we seem to know it is so.

For a bunch of other "love" answers, check out the "What is love?" question posted on July 8th.

Good luck.

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