You can find millions of definitions when you ask what exactly it is: true love. And all these buzzing specifications sound so clear, so terribly important and right.

The top 10 "love" explanations:
True love…

  • is never out for its own advantage.
  • doesn't keep score or tally things up.
  • is mindful and attentive.
  • shows itself in and through good sex.
  • has no expectations or demands.
  • is always patient and forbearing.
  • forgives completely.
  • is big-hearted and generous.
  • takes you as you are and doesn't try to change you.
  • joins body and soul.
True love

You think about these 10 and the other millions of definitions really hard and in depth. And then, on closer inspection, you have to conclude with resignation: these are all hollow words, empty templates, airy, meaningless blah-blah.

Great-uncle and great-aunt knew exactly what true love is

The great-uncle's name was Jonathan. At his golden wedding anniversary, after 50 years of marriage, he gave the speech that explained it all:

"We've lived so many happy years together. And today I'll reveal the secret of our long-lasting true love. It's a very simple principle: whenever something very important had to be decided in our life together, I made the decision. Whenever something unimportant had to be decided, on the other hand, Ellen (that's his wife, the great-aunt) decided it!

And now, looking back over all those 50 years: there was never anything very important that I had to decide!"

Don't laugh! Because for the two of them, Jonathan and Ellen, that was real, genuine, true love.

Alice, who was also at the golden anniversary, had to shake her head vigorously when she heard the speech. She made a point of showing that she considered this explanation of "true love" (for whatever reason, she thought for a split second of her tax return) completely wrong and, on top of that, sexist.

True love

Untrue love – is there such a thing?

You see: even the very phrase "true love" is mush! What would the difference be between "true love" and "love"?

"True love" is just like "free gift," "added bonus" or "dead corpse" – it's simply redundant nonsense. And besides, if there were "true love," there would have to be "untrue love," too.

But for love there are billions of definitions. Because every person has their very own. One that can't be expressed in dull words or sweet sounds. But this love needs no adjective at all. It is real because you feel it.

Aha, thinks the smart aleck, then the phrase should really be "felt love" and, strictly speaking, "unfelt love"…!

But that's material for another text.