Meaning of true love (what is it, concept and definition)

What is true love:

True love is the feeling of affection, passion, intimacy and genuine commitment that one person feels for another.

True love is a concept spread by romantic and fantastic literature. Some of their representatives for example are:

• the English writer William Shakespeare (1582 - 1616) with Romeo and Juliet , the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973) with his Twenty Love Poems and a desperate song , the Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez (1927 - 2014) with his Love in times of anger , the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami (1949) with his 1Q84 trilogy, among others.

The American psychologist Robert Sternberg (1949) associates 3 fundamental concepts to understand the types of love that exist that are transformed in the 3 steps to reach true love:

1. Passion: it is the first step and it is about physical and sexual attraction to another person. The secretion of pheromones increases and what is popularly called electricity or the chemistry of love or the magic of love is produced. It is also characterized by an obsession with the reciprocity of feelings. Intimacy: it is the second step where attachment is created. There is closeness, proximity and connection. Deeper and deeper bonds are created by sharing aspects of our lives. Intimacy is built on trust, on security and mutual respect, otherwise it degenerates into distrust and paranoid suspicions. Commitment: The third step requires the ability to exceed and, work to exceed, misunderstandings and their anguish in order to be together. This is the maturity stage of the relationship where the key is to believe in the best of the other person without stigma, prejudice or negative motivations. Herein lies the famous belief that true love forgives because it respects differences, perseveres in the relationship through reconciliation because it knows that both want to solve problems and overcome the initial pain.

See also:

• Filial love, falling in love.

Different types of love derive from these 3 concepts according to the elements present in the love formula:

• Like: the formula contains only the element of intimacy. Love / companionship: It brings together intimacy and commitment but lacks passion. Empty love: it is only sustained by commitment. Fatuous or simple love: it combines passion with commitment but since there is no intimacy there is never a depth of feeling. Blind love: it is only full of passion without intimacy or commitment. Hence the saying love is blind. See also Love is blind. Romantic love: brings intimacy together with passion. Without commitment or without maturity. Herein lies platonic love. See also Platonic love. True love: Unites passion, intimacy and commitment in the right measure.