True Love

I've seen love in many forms.  I've seen puppy love.  Infatuation.  First love.  Love at first sight.  Love between soul mates.  Abusive love.  Unhappy love.  False love.  One sided love.  Unrequited love.

And true love.  The kind that you know could last you a lifetime.  The kind you dream about.  The kind you hope for.  The kind that doesn't abate, diminish, or desist.  It has this imperfect perfection.  Where you know every day you'd wake up smiling, just knowing you have it.  You'd fight for it.  Take a chance on it.  Do anything to keep it.  It inspires the artist.  It's the writer's muse.  It presents itself without shame, it is unprejudiced.  It wants what the best friend wants, what the brother and father wants, what the teacher and student wants, what the lover and partner wants.  It changes perspectives and worlds.  It is rare.  It is painful.  Beautiful.  Elation within consequence.  It inspires hope and robs tomorrow of worry.  It grants courage in ways unfathomable and allows serenity in the most chaotic and terrifying of times.  It doesn't judge.  It doesn't quit.  It doesn't expect or request.  It just is.  It's the most powerful thing on Earth.  You are given it at the birth of your children.  But in another soul... It's so hard to find some don't.  True love is a combination of all the other loves you know with none of their pitfalls, weaknesses, or limitations.  It doesn't stop.  Not for a minute.  Not in the worst times.  It flourishes in presence of the two.  In sunlight or darkness.  In love or tribulation.  It has no faults.  It sees no barriers.  It wants nothing but the best for the beholden.  It can weather the storm.  It can conquer the undefeated.  It can't be anything but everything you've always wanted.  It's much more than close to perfect.  Its much more than almost enough.  It's the reason hearts beat.  Minds grow.  Souls join.  Its... everything.

That is true love.  I know this.  I've always known this.