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What is love? Love is the license to have sex. Love is kind, love is not jealous, or does not keep a record of mistakes. Love is the agony of one, the ecstasy of two, and the downfall of three. Definitions can go on and on. But do we really know the real essence of love? Maybe not? Because if humankind knows, why is it most are hurt, many are left behind, and only few real love stories prevail?

There are so many theories: Physiological, Philosophical, or even Biblical. But no amount of human intelligence can really decipher what love is. Love is not only queer that we think it is, but also queerer than we can think.

Infatuation: It is an insanely intense physical attraction. Infatuation is love of emotion. Many young couples tend to believe that what they are feeling is true. The emotion is too strong that it makes them unreasonable. As a result, teeners tend to forget most of the important things in life like education and good future. Their focus is to pursue that intense feeling, that euphoric feeling. But sadly it is just temporary.

I am not saying that this is just for teeners. Many adults still fall into the trap. This is something biochemical thus even if you are married, or in a serious relationship, you can still find your co-worker sexy, and when his leg brushed up against yours, you might want to go out of the friendship zone. The problem with infatuation is it makes you feel good, it's too addictive, BUT it is also short-lived. Usually, when reality sets in, you are already pregnant, you already cheated on your husband, or you already have ruined a precious relationship.

True love: This one involves enduring commitment, maturity, and communicative relationship. Compared to infatuation, true love grows in a natural pace. It does not push but is willing to wait. For infatuation, couples tend to have sex immediately, while true love waits for the perfect moment. Why? Because it respects. It thinks of the highest good of the other person. Thus, a boyfriend must control his urge if you are fertile, if you cannot because you're tired.

If your partner yells at you, or embarrasses you, it is not true love. True love is tact, sensitive, and has social graces. True love does not broadcast to the world the faults of others. If you tend to tell your friends that your boyfriend sucks in bed, then qualify your feelings. True love endures in silence, and it is never self-centered. However, sometimes true love is not enough. Still it falls short. For example couples drift apart because of a long-distance love affair. The heart becomes lonely and true love can't hold on. True love sometimes fails when family matters or economics interject. The family does not accept, religion does not allow, or same sex marriage is prohibited. True love gives way. True love takes years to forget.

Greatest Love: It is similar to true love but great love transcends. Greatest love is timeless. One lifetime is never enough to consume greatest love. This is the type of love that even the universe conspires for that love to happen. It stands above everything. It outdoes distance, generations, and time. It loves even unreturned. It is unconditional, and can even give up life for the loved one. Does it exist? Yes it does. How do I know? I have one. I don't mind marrying this person everyday, and all the more I won't mind giving up my life even if I only have one breath left.

At the end of the day, hold your partner's hand, close your eyes and think, is he my greatest love? If not, you might want to find your greatest love. Remember, the gods conspire for one great love.

Photo by Jeremiah Curran.