On the topic of love

I just finished reading a 118 pages long book called: "here. now. A Catholic guide to the good life." in one seating.

It's a great book, really simple, and yet does not dumb-down the whole idea of living a Christian/Catholic life.

One of the point that hit me the most is where the author (she) was talking about definition of love. What is love for you? She offered six definitions on how we define love today:
- wanting someone, emotionally and physically
- caring about someone
- enjoying someone's presence
- being friends
- being turned on
- feeling happy, peaceful emotions

And then she asked, "how do these fall short?"

She offered this perspective... When we look into God, and what Jesus said about love: "Love God... love your neighbor. God is love." When we let God not our culture that define love, this is what we've got:

"Love isn't an emotion. It's an attitude, a stance, a way of life.
It's an attitude of care, concern, and compassion that puts the beloved's well-being before your own. It's an attitude of valuing the beloved, not for what they can do for us, but for who they are . . . just because . . . they are.
Since God is love, love is about seeing other human beings through God's eyes, as much as is humanly possible. It means treating them as God wants them to be treated. As His beloved children . . . beloved as much as I am.

No using.
No exploitation.
No revenge.

Just a brother or sister whose happiness and peace God desires as deeply as He desires mine.

That's love according to Jesus.

So since we're Christians . . . that's love according to us, too."