There are many ways we can talk about love. But there are certain images and words describing what love is that lead to confusion and sometimes to bad situations if acted on. In fact some of these messages are actually what love isn’t. There are many things about love that can’t be summed up in a word. Here are two lists to help you sort out what love is or isn’t. These lists are to help you decide how you want to be treated.
Love is… | Love isn’t… |
Responsibility Hard work Pleasure Commitment Caring Honesty Sex Trust Communication Sharing Compromising Closeness Recognizing differences Vulnerability Openness Respect Friendship Strong feelings | Jealousy Possessiveness Pain Violence Sex Obsession Being selfish Cruelty Getting pregnant Making someone pregnant Dependency Giving up yourself Intimidation Scoring Fear Proving yourself Manipulation Expecting all your needs to be met |