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So then, what exactly is love?

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O The ancient Greeks had many different names for different forms
of love: passion, virtuous, affection for the family, desire, and general affectionO But no
matter how love is defined, they all hold a common trait: caringO

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O Attraction and chemistry form the bond that allows people to
mateO Without this romantic desire for another individual, a relationship is nothing more
than lust or infatuationO

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O Like the mother-child bond, attachment comes after the initial
attractionO Attachment is the long term love that appears anywhere from one to three
years into a romantic relationship (sometimes sooner and very rarely after), and you'll
know you've found it when you can honestly say, "I've seen the worst and the best you
have to offer, and I still love you," while your partner feels the same wayO

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O When it comes to true love, commitment is more than just
monogamyO Its the knowledge that your partner cares for you and has your back, no
matter what the circumstancesO People who are strongly commited to one another will,
when faced with seemingly negative information about their partner, see only the
positiveO For example, a friend comments that your partner doesn't say a lotO "Ah yes, he's
the strong, silent type," you replyO People with less commitment to their partner would
instead say something like, "Yeah, I can never have conversation with himO Its
annoyingO"

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O Intimacy is a crucial component of all relationships, regardless of
their natureO In order to know another, you need to share parts of yourselfO This self-
 revealing behavior, when reciprocated, forms an emotional bondO Over time this bond
strengthens and even evolves, so that two people merge closer and closer togetherO
Intimacy by itself if is a great friendship, but compiled with the other things in this list, it
forms an equation for true loveO