What color is love?

I don't believe that anyone, except God Himself, could do adequate justice when asked to define love.
I indeed feel confident enough in that statement so as to add that if you can explain love to me in two sentences or less, I'll give you a bazillion dollars!
I belive that few find it, in all it's untainted glory and splendor and those who do, have not enough words in their vocabulary to complete it's description.
What is love?
What does it mean to fall in love?
To fall...
The word "fall", when used in it's usual place, indicates an accidental occurance; something that took the reciever off guard. Completely unexpected! A "What do I do now?" situation.
And, for sure, love CAN be that! It can be an unexpected meeting of someone who, from the get go...from the very first conversation.....you feel like you've known that person for years.... A kindred spirit that crosses your path, most unexpectedly.
And that is for sure a type of "falling in love" in the accidental form.
But the love I am talking about is the love that has the ability to last 65 years.
Those who claim to have truly and deeply found this love, well...they know....KNOW....to the very core of their being that there is nothing accidental about it.
Most emphatically on the contrary, there is undoubtedly something very deliberate about love; not resembling an accident by any stretch of the imagination.
The definition that has been created in my heart through my years of living and loving and learning and losing and loving, consists primarily of these four points:

Love is a commitment.
Love is a decision.
Love is not a wimp.
Love is forever.

Love is a commitment not a feeling. A giving of oneself despite a roller coaster of emotions that might be present, despite wavering feelings and misgivings, no matter what the weather condition is outside, the fashion trends that are stocking the shelves or the circumstances surrounding your relationship. Love never, never, never gives up. Sometimes emotions are a luxury that you cannot afford to spend time on. There will be times when love must do what love. must. do. Simply because it is the right thing to do!

Love is a quality decision. Not a decision that wavers or questions itself. No. Love is a decision of sheer stubborness and determination to plant your feet in the dirt, let the wind push you, let the rain pound against your face and mix with the tears that were already present! No matter if the hail cracks your glasses and cuts at your skin, take the storms as they come and love in spite of it all!

Love is no sissy wimp! Love is not passive, self-conscious or unsure of itself. Love is strength and passion under restaint. Love has a strength that surpasses any other. Love does not get pushed around! Love knows what it wants, knows what is best for the other person, wants God's best for themselves AND for others. Love does not cower in the corner, shaking and nervous of what will happen next....oh no...Love grabs the situation by the horns and bases it's decisions on what would be best for everyone involved! ( Not just based on one person's opinion of what is best.)

Love is and MUST be forever....
Love has no end. The kind of love that an elderly person sitting on a park bench with their spouse of 63 years speaks of is a love that has no end. Love does not give up when feelings are hurt. Love does not give up when opinions are not listened to. It does not go stomping out the door when weight is gained or wrinkles begin to form. If love was only for a season, then it in fact, most emphatically, WAS NOT LOVE. If "love" has a time frame, then I dare say it's an imposter! A phoney! A little bald man dressed up like Minnie Mouse at Disney World! Love....the real love that I am pursuing, seeking after and speaking of....it has no end. It just keeps going and going and going hand in hand with the Energizer Bunny. Love chooses to put on the handcuffs of marriage, if you will, and then...gasp....throw away the key. Leave no back door open a crack because if you do, guess what...you will probably opt to head out that back door when the going gets tough and the heart yells "Uncle!!!" You will FOR SURE give up if you entertain those thoughts....

Love is not easy and may be the hardest goal for you to reach in this lifetime.
Love will hurt and produce snot, sweat and tears on occasion.
Love can be your worst enemy....

and yet....
at times....

Love can be so blissfully, wonderful that it feels as though your heart ate too many Jelly Bellies.
Love is a bond that can save a life and last a lifetime.
Love is gentle, kind and forgiving to a fault.
and love just might...if you don't give up on it and if you nourish it and have patience with it and refuse to quit when the going gets tough...love just might become your dearest and most cherished friend for life until it breathes it's last breathe.