Thoughts on Love Part 1: What Is the Meaning of This?

So, I had sort of an epiphany yesterday about the meaning of Love. Maybe it's really stupid, but it felt sort of profound to me. I have more to say about it than I feel anyone would care to read in one post, so I'm splitting it up into a series of posts.

I have often wondered, as I'm sure many people have, about what the true meaning of the word "Love" is. I think most would agree that there are a multitude of different types, and different levels, of love. But there is that one type that we are all always searching for. That's the kind that I could never really seem to define for myself. My mom always says that love is "putting the other person's happiness on the same level as your's." This may be a type of love but, as far as I'm concerned, this is the type that we should feel for all other beings, and the world around us. I don't believe that is nearly enough to satisfy the average person's need for Love. So I thought "Maybe it's putting the other person's happiness above your own." but I tend to do that for everyone as well (which I'm sure is super unhealthy). So, maybe it's getting happiness from their happiness? Not quite, that can happen with any random person, from time to time. So what is it then? Well, I think I've finally figured that out (at least for myself). And I'm going to tell you tomorrow.