To love is not to stop you from growing. the lover does not offer you a piece of cake if you are on a diet. and will not offer a drink if you decide to be sober. nor does it require you to conform to you to match his picture of the world.
To love is not to be selfish. the lover does not think that the world revolves around him. he takes and gives. he can not always recognize, but at least he hears that you are tired, sick, upset or unhappy. the lover is able to empathize and sympathize. he respects your time energy. he knows how to share.
To love is not to control. the lover does not check your phone, does not tell you what you need to think, wear or say. he does not tell you what you need to feel.
To love is to respect. loving does not hang on you labels and does not humiliate you in front of others. he does not destroy you and does not shame the public. loving respects your boundaries, respects your time, respects your ideas, respects your emotions.
To love is to work on building trust. loving does not cheat, does not lie to you all the time. the lover does not seek to hide or not to talk.
To love is to listen. the lover hears you, even if you do not say something important. he just listens. he does not have ready solutions and he does not know all the answers. but he has patience and desire.
And what does the word "love" mean to you? ..