What is love?

Beautiful words -- I could not have ever dreamed of such.  Thank you for sharing.

I have loved in life
and I have been loved.
I have drunk the bowl of poison
from the hands of love as nectar,
and have been raised above life's joy and sorrow.

My heart, aflame in love,
set afire every heart that came in touch with it.
My heart has been rent
and joined again;
My heart has been broken
and again made whole;
My heart has been wounded
and healed again;
A thousand deaths my heart has died,
and thanks be to love,
it lives yet.

I went through hell and saw there love's raging fire,
and I entered heaven illumined with the light of love.
I wept in love
and made all weep with me;
I mourned in love
and pierced the hearts of men;
And when my fiery glance fell on the rocks,
the rocks burst forth as volcanoes.
The whole world sank in the flood
caused by my one tear;

I bowed my head low in humility,
and on my knees I begged of love,
"Disclose to me, I pray thee, O love, thy secret."
She took me gently by my arms and lifted me above the earth,
and spoke softly in my ear,
"My dear one,
thou thyself art love, art lover, and thyself art the beloved
whom thou hast adored."

It has been asked, "What is love?"  I've asked it, as have my parents and their parents have asked, "What is the meaning of this little, four-letter word?"  I have come to the conclusion that there is no longer a concrete definition -- whatever meaning that anyone could try (or has tried) to attach to the word 'love' would be (and has been) only a subjective, abstract.  One problem that I see in trying to define such a word as ´love,´is that few, if any, have ever experienced what has been Biblically or philosophically written about as being 'true' love. The true meaning of love, as defined in the Bible, has been corrupted in so many common or daily usages of the loose grammatical English language and society.  Most often, love is confused with infatuation - that elated, "high" feeling we get when we "fall in love, or as an expression to suggest a fondness for -- such as "I love ice cream."

The Greek language (the language of the New Testament) uses two different words to describe and define love. The most commonly used Greek word translated "love" in the New Testament is "agape." This love is represented by God's love for us.  God loved us so much that he gave up his son to die for us.  How many of us can honestly say that we have ever given that kind of love?  And of Jesus Christ -- He willing gave His life for us because His father had asked Him to so that you and I might live.

In contrast, our love is usually conditional and based upon how other people behave toward us -- parents even have this kind of 'love' for their children, as do children for their parents. This kind of love is based upon familiarity and direct interaction. The Greek word "phileo" defines this kind of love, often translated "brotherly love." Phileo is a terrestrial (connected through our emotions) kind of love - something that can be experienced by both believers and non-believers. This is in contrast to agape, which is love extended through the spirit -- having no added provisions, exceptions, and/or conditions -- it is a pure, and non-negotiable emotion. Agape love requires a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, since the terrestrial soul is unable to love unconditionally. 'Agape' love gives and sacrifices expecting nothing back in return.